


Stars Will Shine

by RadientWings



Series: Hollywood's Finest [1]
Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Actor Alec, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Celebrity, Alternate Universe - Human, Coming Out, Drama, F/M, Families of Choice, Famous, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Humor, Interviews, M/M, News Media, Sibling Bonding, Singer Magnus, Social Media, and everyone loves everyone, and there's a lot of bonding between friends and family, in which everyone's famous, oh and where everyone ships malec
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-23
Updated: 2016-10-08
Packaged: 2018-06-04 00:23:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 26,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6633223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RadientWings/pseuds/RadientWings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alec and Isabelle Lightwood rose to fame as child actors on their hit show 'Hunters'. Now with the show finished, they're living out their dreams as two of Hollywood's most in-demand actors. But with fame and privilege also comes the added annoyance of the paparazzi, something that Alec could do without. He has a secret to keep, after all.</p><p>Enter Magnus Bane, rockstar extraordinaire and everyone's favorite gossiping material. Also, incidentally, the most attractive person Alec has ever laid eyes on.</p><p>Looks like Alec's secret might come out after all.</p><p>(OR: A completely gratuitous celebrity AU complete with lots of Malec goodness, Lightwood sibling bonding, and other shenanigans.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Of First Meetings

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! I was actually supposed to be working on my malec drabble alphabet but I was suddenly struck by the idea for this story so here I am!
> 
> A few important notes before we begin:  
> -All appearances of the characters are based mainly on the show  
> -Jace is going by Wayland here (mainly because I don't want to spoil anything for show watchers)  
> -Right now, the chapters are set at ten total, but this might change at some point  
> -Updating will not be as regular as I like due to my university obligations  
> -I will bring in some elements from the books but most of this fic will be based off the show as I haven't read the books in a long time  
> -Only the beginning of a chapter will contain things like the interview at the start of this one (I thought that would be something interesting to add in)
> 
> Anyways, here we go! Hope you enjoy! (Special thanks to my bestie Greti for helping me :D)

**HOLLYWOOD’S FAVORITE SIBLINGS – ALL GROWN UP**

_Alec and Isabelle Lightwood on their transition from their childhoods on the hit show ‘Hunters’ to gritty new projects and being adults in the industry._

A sibling pair like no other, Alec and Isabelle Lightwood have been household names for the past six years. Both talented, and undeniably stunning, the Lightwoods made their big break when they were cast as TV siblings, Matt and Em Decker, on Nickelodeon’s ‘ _Hunters’_ in 2007. After six successful seasons, the teen comedy drama has finally come to a bittersweet close, their time playing the popular teenaged demon hunters over. Now with Alec barely twenty and Isabelle just nineteen, they’re on the path to adulthood and all that entails, including exciting new roles in upcoming projects. We here at Idris Magazine were lucky enough to sit down with this famous brother and sister and ask them all about it. 

 **_Idris Magazine_ ** **: The show finale of ‘ _Hunters’_ aired just yesterday and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. How do you two feel now that this journey has come to an end?**

_Isabelle Lightwood_ : It was bittersweet, for sure. I mean I can say for both of us that we’ll definitely miss going to set everyday. The people there have become our family. They helped raise us, made us gain confidence in our craft. At the same time though, I feel like we’re both ready for a change. I guess it kind of feels like we’re graduating high school and are going to college. You know, we’re excited but also a little nervous. Mostly excited though.

 _Alec Lightwood_ : Yeah, I agree. Izzy was right when she said it was bittersweet. I do think that this was the best time for the show to end but I’ll definitely be missing it.

 **_IM_ ** **: And were you satisfied with the ending? With where your characters ended up?**

 _AL_ : Oh yeah. Our characters went through a lot over the past six seasons, lots of changes and crazy, magical adventures, but even with all that, the show has always been about family. So it felt right that it ended with Matt and Em deciding to stick together even as they go and experience the world outside of demon hunting. It was the perfect ending really; everything came full circle. And it kind of mimics reality in a way, with Izzy and I. 

 _IL_ : [Smiles] You’re right about that, big brother. And Jace [Wayland] can be included in that too. I mean his character Dom only came in the third season when Matt and Em’s parents adopted him but it feels like he was there with us the entire time. I can’t imagine ‘ _Hunters_ ’ without him. To me, he’s like another brother. An annoying, kind of arrogant brother, but still a brother.

 _AL_ : [Laughs] You definitely have that description right.

 _IL_ : Sorry Jace, if you hear about this, but even you have to admit it’s true.

 **_IM_ ** **: I’m sure he’ll understand. Now, I know you’ve been asked this a thousand times, but I’ve got to hear the story again. How did you both get cast for this?**

 _IL_ : I’ll take this one! 

 _AL_ : Oh, here we go…

 _IL_ : I had been trying to convince my parents for a long time that acting is what I really wanted to do in life, despite them pushing me towards classical music or dance. Finally, I managed to talk them into letting me audition under the condition that if I didn’t get anything within six months, I would move onto something more suitable. Anyways, as it turns out, there are _lots_ of kids here in LA that want to act. I didn’t book anything and my months were almost up. ‘Hunters’ was my last chance. So, of course, at the audition, I was probably the most nervous I’ve ever been in my life. I mean imagine, little eleven-year-old me about to go into what could be a life-changing audition. But, I had my lines all prepared and Alec was there with me so I kept telling myself I could do it.

 _AL_ : And then you got that jerk of an audition partner. 

 _IL_ : Yeah, he was just terrible. Basically, the audition scene was one between Matt and Em, and so they decided to partner some of the kids up to make the casting process faster. Only my partner spent the entire time making fun of me and trying to get me to mess up so _he_ would look better. It was _so_ upsetting that even though I knew it’s what he wanted, I messed up.

 _AL_ : I still really hate that kid…

 _IL_ : So, Alec saw what was happening and basically _demanded_ that the casting director let me try again, but with him as my partner instead. For some reason the casting director gave in, I think probably because even at twelve years old Alec was not the type of person you just say no to, especially when it comes to family. But anyways, he’d been practicing with me at home so he knew all the lines by heart and when we finally did the scene, we _killed_ it. And they ended up offering us both the parts, despite Alec not actually wanting to audition for himself. 

 _AL_ : Yeah, and I almost said no but I actually ended up enjoying the audition, so I decided to give it a try. I guess I just couldn’t give up the chance to see if this, if acting, was something I could love doing. I’m really glad now that I decided to go for it.

 _IL_ : I think we both learned a lot from that audition. Like, for me, that was a turning point. I made it my mission to never be put in a position like that again, where I would let other people dictate how I do something, even if it’s something as simple as an audition. After all, I can’t always have my over-protective big brother around.

 _AL_ : I’m not over-protective!

 _IL_ : [Laughs] Alec, you’re beyond over-protective and you know it. But it’s ok, I forgive you for it. Mostly.

 _AL_ : Gee, thank you.

 **_IM_ ** **: So, what’s next for you both? Any projects in your back pocket?**

 _AL_ : Well Izzy’s already booked a movie, which we’re all really happy about. I’m really excited to see what she’ll do with this new role after seeing her play Em for so long and experiencing it first hand. 

 _IL_ : I’m really, really looking forward to it. It’s a relatively small indie production but it has a gorgeous script. It’s also the first time I’m going to be playing something so serious rather than something comedy based.

 _AL_ : You’ll be great. 

 _IL_ : Thanks, big brother.

 _AL_ : As for me, I’m in talks for a couple of things. Nothing’s concrete yet but hopefully I’ll know soon. Until then I’m going to spend some time with the rest of our family, maybe spend some time on our charity work.

 **_IM:_ ** **Sounds wonderful! You both seem to have everything under control. Now, I have one last question…**

IL: Oh, I think I know where this is going…

 **_IM:_ ** **Anyone special in either of your lives? Word is you’ve been spending some time with Meliorn of the band Seelie Queen lately, Isabelle. Anything we should know?**

 _IL_ : [Laughs] Well, I don’t know about that. All I can say is that Meliorn is an attractive man. I wouldn’t rule anything out.

 _AL_ : She’s got a _thing_. 

 _IL_ : We all have our _things_ , don’t we, Alec?

 **_IM:_ ** **What about you, Alec? Anyone special for you?**

 _AL_ : Um, w-well, no. Not yet. But I’m sure it’ll happen. Eventually.

* * *

In the end, it didn’t happen. There was still no one ‘special’ in his life. Not yet, anyways ( _probably not ever,_ Alec lamented). Three years on and Alec remained perpetually single. Unlike speculation suggested however, that wasn’t because he was a ‘player’ or because he waiting for the right woman to come along so he could sweep her off her feet. The first _definitely_ wasn’t true because he had zero people skills to be able to get anywhere _near_ being a ‘player’… and the second because he wasn’t looking for a _woman_ at all.

Not that anyone apart from Isabelle knew about _that_ little detail. Even then, he’d never actually plucked up the courage to tell his sister; she’d just somehow _known_. She was good at that, really.

Luckily, Alec tended to be too busy to dwell on all this. Now at twenty-three, he was in high demand in the industry. Enough that he’d chanced a stint on Broadway for the last six months without fearing too much that his movie career would suffer for it. Even if it did in the end, the theater experience had been more than worth it. He found that, despite his discomfort in large crowds, he loved the energy of playing to an audience. There was nothing quite like standing up on stage and essentially becoming this whole other person for a couple hours at a time. It was addicting.

And then there was the added plus of having to live in New York for the duration of the play. He loved New York and its anonymity. There were some paps, sure, but nothing like in LA. It was nice to just walk around and not have to worry about some asshole jumping him and shoving his camera in his face. 

Unfortunately, his six months went by in a blink and the next thing he knew he was headed back home to LA. He was startled to realize just how much he was going to miss New York and the cast he’d been with. He’d probably miss Lydia Branwell most of all. She’d played the female lead opposite him and they’d become good friends, their naturally reserved natures complimenting each other well. Alec always made sure he was on friendly _terms_ with his cast mates and the rest of the crew, but rare was the day he made an actual _friend_.

Still, it wasn’t all bad. LA, despite being less his scene, _was_ his home. Going there meant he was going to be back with Izzy and Jace, and Max as well if his parents were in town. Being away from them all had been the one downside of living in New York. 

So it was with mixed feelings that he boarded the plane from JFK to LAX. Of course, seeing Izzy waiting at arrivals for him put him in a good mood, troubles forgotten. As soon as she spotted him, she was running to him. He barely had time to drop his bag before she crashed into his chest, arms squeezing him tight. He huffed a laugh but returned the embrace happily.

He and his sister had always been close, even as young kids, but their time on ‘ _Hunters_ ’ only brought them closer. Seeing each other day in and day out tended to do that. She was simultaneously his toughest critic and his staunchest supporter. Always there for him, but also never giving into any of his shit. She was his most trusted confidant (hell, she probably knew more about him than _he_ did) and he was hers (he was one of the only people that knew of the vulnerability that hid under his little sister’s confident personality). Isabelle Lightwood was self-assured, intelligent, extremely sociable, and, above all, _always_ herself. In many ways she was the complete opposite of Alec. But despite their differences, their petty arguments and disagreements about what was most important, they were practically attached at the hip. Even when he’d been on the opposite side of the country, there hadn’t been a day when he hadn’t talked to Izzy.

Still, nothing was quite the same as the genuine article. He squeezed his sister a moment longer, before finally pulling back, not wanting to risk staying at the airport too long (the paparazzi always seemed to find him when he was here).

“I’m so happy you’re back, Alec. It’s been so weird not seeing your grumpy face everyday,” she told him as he picked up his bag again, smiling.

He rolled his eyes with faux exasperation. “Thanks, Iz. Missed you too.”

“No problem, big brother. Now let’s go, there’s still a lot to do before tonight.” She linked her arm through his and began leading him to the exit. 

“Tonight? What about tonight?”

“You’ll see,” she replied, her smile mischievous.

 _Not sure if I want to see,_ he thought. He said nothing, however, knowing that it would probably be useless. No one could talk Izzy out of something she set her mind on. He could only hope it wouldn’t be too bad.

 

* * *

 

Alec was beginning to think he should stop hoping for things; they never seemed to happen the way he wanted them to.

“You should wear this! It’s perfect, not as drab as your usual but also still very _you_ ,” Izzy announced, handing him an armful of clothes.

“Izzy, I am _not_ going to a party. It’s my first night back!” Alec tried to insist, dumping the clothes onto her guest bed. When he’d left LA he’d been renting an apartment, but upon his move to New York he’d decided to give it up and put most of his stuff in storage. He’d wanted to buy a place anyways; something he’d decided could wait until he came back. But that meant that he’d be staying with his sister for a while. He wasn’t quite sure whether that was a good or bad thing. Maybe it was a bit of both. Good because he did actually love spending time with Izzy… but bad because she wouldn’t let him sit around inside like he wanted to, and she was _definitely_ going to needle him about his non-existent personal life. Probably do both at the same time, if anything.

“But that’s exactly why you should go to the party! Celebrate a little,” she said now, hands on her hips.

He rolled his eyes, arms crossing over his chest (as if _that_ would help anything against her). “You know I’m not a party person.”

“You’ll like this one though, I swear,” she insisted, raising one perfect brow, clearly unimpressed by his little show.

“And why would that be?”

“Jace and Clary will be there.”

 _Damn._ _How does she always get to me?_ Izzy knew perfectly well that Alec hadn’t seen their pseudo-brother at all since his show’s opening night six months ago. He’d missed his best friend. Of all the people in his life, Jace was probably closest to him, bar Izzy. When the blonde had first appeared in ‘ _Hunters_ ’, Alec, pre-pubescent kid that he’d been, had been absolutely smitten. Jace, like his sister, had always had an easy confidence that Alec envied. Beyond that, he had genuinely tried to be Alec’s friend, despite the older boy’s awkwardness. So yeah, he had had harbored a rather embarrassing crush on his friend. Thankfully, he’d grown out of it eventually, which was partly due to the realization that Jace really _was_ like a brother to him and partly because the appearance of one Clary Fray in all their lives.

Oh god, Alec had _hated_ Clary when he first met her and he’d had _no_ compunctions with showing her either, something he regretted now. An artist and production designer in training, she’d come onto ‘ _Hunters_ ’ in its final season as an intern… and promptly flipped Alec’s entire life upside down. Jace, playboy, devil-may-care _Jace_ , had been completely infatuated. And so Alec, still uselessly crushing on the blonde, had been jealous.

Luckily, he’d eventually had his sense knocked back into him (thank you Izzy) and he and Clary had managed to work out their differences. They were quite good friends now actually, bonded through their mutual exasperation at some of Jace’s more _trying_ traits. That and the fact they were often forced to play the more responsible counterparts to Izzy and Jace during some of their stunts.

It _would_ be quite nice to see the couple again, Alec mused. He could already feel himself giving in. Izzy could too, by the looks of her triumphant smirk.

“I thought Jace was still on location,” he said, attempting to look like he was keeping his resolve not to go. 

His sister didn’t buy it, but was kind of enough not to say anything. “Nope! He has the weekend off, so he came down to see you.”

“And _where_ is this party?”

“Pandemonium. It’s a new club uptown. Really exclusive, I’m sure you’ll run into some people you know and actually _like_.” Izzy looked up at him hopefully, playing into his charade even though she knew he’d practically said yes already.

Finally, he groaned. “Ok, we’ll go.”

“Yes! Thank you!” she exclaimed, darting forward to press a kiss to his cheek.

“Yeah, yeah,” he muttered grumpily, though its effect was ruined by the small smile that broke across his face.

“Ok, I have to go get ready. But, don’t forget, wear these,” she gestured sternly to the clothes he’d discarded on the bed, before rushing out of his temporary room.

Curious, he picked up the pants, immediately noticing they were definitely not something _he_ had bought. She’d been planning this for a while, he realized, though he was not actually surprised by this. _But am I really that predictable?_

He sighed to himself. _Yes, yes I am. Predictable, boring Alec._

He picked up the shirt, examining it with no small amount of dread; Izzy always had weird ideas when it came to how he was _apparently_ supposed to be dressing. Immediately, he noticed something he didn’t like.

“Izzy, this shirt is _way_ too small!” he shouted out into the hallway.

“No it’s not!” she replied in a singsong voice, clearly not even considering that he might decide not to wear it after all.

Sadly, she wasn’t wrong. He really didn’t have anything with him to wear out to a club. So Alec allowed himself one last long-suffering sigh, before swallowing his pride and proceeding to put the damn clothes on.

 

* * *

 

Alec looked at the flashing sign of Pandemonium with apprehension. He tugged uncomfortably at his clothes. His shirt was as small as he’d feared, the hem barely reaching the top of his (exceedingly tight) black jeans. The shirt was a deep charcoal gray, its sleeves ending at his elbows, the top few buttons undone at Izzy’s insistence. Still, it was a Henley so it could be worse. And he’d been allowed to wear his trusty combat boots. Izzy, ever his opposite, looked completely at home in her tiny red dress and stilettos (how she walked in those, he had _no_ idea). She was currently engrossed in her phone, probably texting her on-again, off-again flame Meliorn. Alec didn’t exactly approve of the guy, but after one explosive argument with his sister about him, he realized it wasn’t really his place to dictate how she went about her love life. Still, he remained cautious about the other man. 

“Alec! Izzy!”

Both the Lightwood siblings turned around at the familiar shout, immediately spotting a head of fiery red hair, followed closely by a blond one. Barely a minute later, Clary was barreling into Izzy and the two girls were an entanglement of excited limbs.

“Well if it isn’t our big-shot theater actor,” Jace said in greeting, pulling Alec into a quick hug, back patting and all.

“Says the action guy,” Alec replied dryly.

“What can I say? I’m naturally talented.”

Clary sidled up to them, Isabelle not far behind. “He just takes any chance he can to be shirtless,” the redhead snorted, causing her boyfriend to let out an offended noise. She ignored it however, instead hugging Alec around the waist. “Hey big guy. You look good, I’m guessing Izzy dressed you.”

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, squeezing her gently. “Good to see you too squirt.”

She wrinkled her nose at him. “Still with the squirt, _really_?”

“Well you said you didn’t like ‘little girl’.”

“You know that’s not what I meant.”

“Do I though?” he asked, just to get a rise out of her.

In lieu of a response, she just shoved at him. But her lips twitched, clearly suppressing a smile.

“Come on you guys. Let’s go dance,” Izzy interrupted.

“I know the owner and told him we were coming, so we’re on the list.” Clary commented, linking her arm through the other girls, leading the way to the entrance.

“Hey, you ok buddy?” Jace asked at his side when Alec didn’t follow right away.

“Just don’t really feel like going in,” he said truthfully.

“Ah, come on, it’ll be fun,” the blonde replied, patting Alec on the chest, “and who knows? Maybe you’ll find yourself a girl.” With that, he ran to catch up with the others.

“Right, o-of course, a girl,” the eldest Lightwood muttered.

This was going to be _great_.

 

* * *

 

The club was packed to the brim, writhing bodies at every corner. Thankfully though, Clary’s mysterious ‘connection’ allowed them to get into the slightly more spacious VIP section, and they were lucky enough to find a booth where they all squeezed in. Alec felt tense and out of place until his friends talked him into doing some shots with them. Soon enough, they were all laughing and shouting at each other to be heard through the loud music. The girls were constantly up and down, dragging them to and from the dance floor. 

Pandemonium, Alec noticed through his haze, was filled with a lot of Hollywood’s young elite. He recognized many faces, both from his TV screen and from past projects. He waved at some of his former costars, but otherwise kept away. Luckily, they were all too drunk to care. (Or maybe Alec was the one who was too drunk to care? He wasn’t sure anymore. He really shouldn’t have let Izzy talk him into this.)

Starting to feel over-heated, he made his excuses to his friends, and headed the small private balcony to cool down.

On the way there, he had to squeeze through the packed crowd, thanking his lucky stars that no one seemed to give him a second glance with his head ducked down as it was. Finally at the doors that would lead to fresh air, he turned, intending to check on where his friends were at, only to have his eyes stop dead on someone else entirely.

He was quite possibly the most beautiful man Alec had ever seen. Elegant and ethereal, his slanted eyes were a gorgeous, deep brown, outlined in dark kohl and a light dusting of something sparkly. His dark hair was styled up and tipped in gold, falling slightly over his forehead in a way that made Alec want nothing more than to brush it aside. The man wore a blue dress shirt, open enough to show a tantalizing amount of bare chest, a couple necklaces jangling around his neck. His legs were encased in what were probably the tightest pants in existence and he couldn’t help but let his eyes run up and down them, landing briefly on the other man’s ass.

And _god_ , the way he danced. In a room full people who were used to being the center of attention, Alec’s gaze was only drawn to him, just like so many of the others around him. He tracked the other man’s sensual movements almost mindlessly, like he couldn't tear away his eyes even if he wanted to.

His heart thumped a bit faster in his chest, whatever drunkenness he’d been feeling giving way to startling sobriety. Alec had thought he understood physical attraction. There were, after all, other men he’d found attractive… but _this_ , this blew all those other experiences out the water.

He stared at the man a long time, noticing little details like the clear strength in his broad shoulders, the way his painted nails caught the flashing lights of the club. The little smirk he wore when he noticed Alec’s gaze on him–

_Wait, what?_

He blinked and realized that, _yes_ , Beautiful Man had caught him staring. Alec felt himself flush, the heat in his cheeks only increasing when the other man ran his eyes over him appreciatively before sending him a suggestive wink.

So Alec did what any other mature, adult man might have done.

He whipped around and rushed out onto the balcony. It wasn't running away, he told himself; it was a tactical retreat. Never had he been so tempted to go up to another person and just… and just be _near_ them. Be _with_ them. Do anything _at all_ with them. He hadn’t even spoken to the other man and yet his heart was racing.

Alec needed to calm down. He took a deep breath of the cool night air that surrounded him.

He couldn’t believe himself. Normally he was so _good_ at suppressing all his feelings of that… nature. Yet here he was, practically swooning like a teenaged girl. But he couldn’t allow himself to give into temptation. He just couldn’t.

 _People can’t know, they_ can’t _. What would they say if they found out? What would my_ parents _say?_

He swallowed harshly against the rising bile in his throat.

But then another, smaller voice, one that sounded suspiciously like Izzy, spoke. _Who cares what they say? This isn’t about them, it’s about_ you _._

Alec shook his head, trying to banish all thoughts of the man away. It wouldn’t do him any good to think of it, not when he was sure nothing was going to happen anyways. Still, he couldn’t risk being here any longer. Suddenly determined to leave Pandemonium entirely, Alec made his way back to the balcony door, keeping his eyes firmly on the ground to avoid all temptation.

Of course, as seemed a theme with today, nothing went to plan. As soon as he had wrenched the door open, another body tumbled through, clearly not expecting the door to suddenly give way.

Alec, having trained in martial arts since he could walk, something that had given him incredibly fast reflexes even when under the influence of alcohol, caught the other person before they could tumble to the ground. His hands were tight around the person’s (rather impressive, he noted vaguely) biceps whilst he simultaneously adjusted himself so they wouldn’t overbalance and _both_ end up falling.

He was already babbling incoherently before he managed to get the other person completely upright, beyond embarrassed by the whole thing. _I really, really should learn how to say no to Izzy; this night is a disaster._ “Ohmygod, I’m so sorry. Are you ok? You–”

Alec’s words died in his throat when his eyes finally went to the person’s face.

It was Beautiful Man.

 _Of course_ it was. 

And he was currently looking up at Alec with amusement, lips pulled up into a small smile, eyes glimmering. His hands, with painted nails and all, were currently curled around Alec’s elbows, sending goose bumps up his skin, his face mere inches away.

Realizing this, Alec’s ability to act like a _normal_ human being seemed to just disappear, whatever he’d been thinking before vanishing in mixture of apprehension and excitement. _He’s even more gorgeous up close_ , he couldn’t help but think, his mind a cloud of shock. It took him a second to realize that Beautiful Man was actually _speaking_ to him.

“I’m fine. Though I suppose anyone would be with _you_ there to catch them,” Beautiful Man said, his fingers trailing lightly up and down the bare skin of Alec’s elbows. He made no move to get away.

Alec’s flushed even more at the comment. “I uh–” He attempted to speak but it was to no avail. With shock, he realized he was still holding onto the other man’s arms and he promptly dropped his hands, wincing at his own awkwardness.

It didn’t seem to bother Beautiful Man, however. “So does my savior have a name? Or do you go by pretty boy?”

The taller of the two scrambled to answer. “Um, Alec. Is me. I’m Alec.”

Despite his complete lack of social functioning ( _seriously, who the hell can’t even_ introduce _themselves?_ ), the other man looked amused once again. “Magnus. Tell me, is Alec short for something?” Beautiful M– no, _Magnus_ asked.

“Alexander,” Alec replied automatically. He peered at Magnus for a long moment thereafter, trying to think of something, _anything_ to say. But then he noticed the still open door behind the other man, showing the crowd of drunken celebrities, and he was pulled back to reality. _I shouldn’t be doing_ this _, whatever this is._ Immediately he took a step back from Magnus, gesturing at the club. “And um, I should head out. People waiting. I mean I have people waiting for me.”

Magnus frowned briefly, but soon he wore a dazzling smile, directed only at Alec. “Well then Alexander, it was an absolute pleasure to bump into you.”

“Oh uh, you too?” he replied, oh-so eloquently. He stood awkwardly for a moment longer. “Ok, um, bye,” he said finally, before rushing out.

_Wow. You are an absolute idiot._

* * *

 

It was safe to say that Alec was beyond relieved to be getting out of Pandemonium. He was, however, surprised that the others had decided to join him. He guessed they had missed him too. He and Izzy were already outside, waiting for Clary and Jace who were probably still wrapped up in each other on the dance floor. 

Alec had decided to make it easy on them and instead of looking for a taxi he called one up, stepping a bit further away from Izzy and the club to do so.

“Alexander!” a male voice called just as he hung up. He looked up to see the man he’d been trying to escape from approaching him, still maddeningly gorgeous. Alec thought he should probably feel a little more frustrated that his plan was foiled _again_ , but as it was all he felt was a thrill in his chest.

“Magnus? What are you–?”

The other man reached and plucked Alec’s unlocked phone straight from his hands, standing closer than was strictly necessary. “I decided I couldn’t just let my savior go without promise of a reward,” Magnus said with a smile, his fingers tapping confidently on Alec’s phone. When he was finished with it, he handed it back but used the opportunity to lever himself up so his mouth was right by Alec’s ear, the soft puff of breath making the taller man shiver slightly. “Call me, darling.”

And suddenly he was out of Alec’s space, strolling back towards Pandemonium. Magnus didn’t enter until he threw one last wink at Alec, though.

As soon as he was gone, Izzy ran up to him, chattering excitedly in his ear, both hands clutching at one of his arms. Alec didn’t hear a word she was saying, too busy gaping. Eventually some of her words filtered through.

“Alec, oh my god, don’t you know who that was?”

“What?”

“That was Magnus _Bane_ ,” she said, all awe and excitement.

The emphasis on the last name confused him. “Hm?”

“ _Hello_?” Izzy looked up at him, waving a hand in front of him exasperatedly. “Lead singer of _Warlock_? Happens to be world famous? Ringing any bells yet?”

Magnus Bane. Magnus _Bane_.

Holy shit, she mean _that_ Magnus Bane. The lead singer of a band that’s probably sold more records than Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber combined. A Grammy award winning musician and successful entrepreneur, he was practically a god in Hollywood. And that wasn’t even getting into the recent acting work he’d been getting, or the clothing line, or the fact that he was _always_ in the gossip rags.

He couldn’t believe it.

Alec had been talking to Magnus _Bane_ , idol of millions.

 _Magnus Bane_ had flirted with him. He had Magnus Bane’s number programmed into his phone.

Magnus Bane had asked Alec to _call_ him.

“ _Oh_ ,” he finally let out.

The response didn’t seem quite adequate.


	2. Of Arrows, Pizza and Unexpected Surprises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning, this chapter contains a lot of mutual pining, ladies being awesome, and banter. Enjoy :)

**THE MAGNIFICENT BANE**

_Magnus Bane, front man of world-renowned band_ Warlock _, on his rise to fame, fortune, and fabulousness._

Known as one of his generation’s most talented and successful artists, Magnus Bane has spent almost ten years in the music business – and he is showing no signs of slowing down. He’s long been the lead singer and songwriter of the chart-topper _Warlock_ , but, in recent years, Bane has expanded his repertoire impressively. A shrewd businessman, he is the designer of his own clothing line, _The Chairman_ , as well the proud owner of Hollywood’s new it club Pandemonium. Magnus’ talents don’t end there, his acting career having kicked off just last year with his role in ‘ _Our Greater Demons_ ’ earning him the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama. Today he’s here at Downworld Weekly to tell us all about his various ventures, and even give us a little tease about _Warlock_ ’s highly anticipated new album.

 **_Downworld Weekly_ ** **: So, Magnus, your music career is still in full swing, your acting is gaining all sorts of well-deserved accolades, and your other businesses all seem to be doing well. I can’t help but wonder; how do you manage it all?**

 _Magnus Bane_ : [Laughs] Well, my dear, I like to keep myself busy… as you can probably tell by that lovely little list you just made. Besides that I have a very supportive team of people. I definitely wouldn't be where I am without my wonderful band mates, for one. Tessa [Gray] and Catarina [Loss] are always there to help me out when I need it. Even Ragnor [Fell] chips in sometimes. Even though many of my little projects lately were technically solo projects, they’re never far away. When I was on set for ‘ _Our Greater Demons_ ’, for example, they were constantly around and giving me advice. Though, in Ragnor’s case, his ‘advice’ was hidden under an over abundance of sarcasm.

 **_DW_ ** **: Speaking of acting, how’s that going for you? How does it feel knowing you won a Golden Globe for your very first film?**

 _MB_ : It was beyond surreal really. I knew right away when I read the script that ‘ _Our Greater Demons_ ’ could be fantastic. It’s just the kind of story that stays with you. But even the best scripts can turn into mediocre movies. So I was, of course, really nervous going into it, for a lot of reasons. Chief of those being that it was, like you said, my first movie and I really didn’t want to let anyone down. But thanks to our lovely director, our cast and our crew, I think the movie just really pulled together in an almost _magical_ way. I was really happy with the end result. Getting the Globe was an added bonus, of course, and definitely an honor.

 **_DW_ ** **: Are you looking for more acting work?**

_MB_ : At the moment I’m mostly focusing on my music and planning next year’s tour. I’m on the lookout though. I guess you could say I caught the acting bug.

 **_DW_ ** **: And we are so glad you did! But Magnus, I’ve been also hearing a lot about Pandemonium. Apparently it’s _the_ place to be. How did this opportunity come around for you?**

_MB_ : Running a club has actually been a big goal of mine for a long time. It just seemed a natural progression from the rest of my career. Of course, I hadn’t imagined it would take me this long to get it started it up. Luckily, everything has fallen into place and Pandemonium is open for the public.

 **_DW_ ** **: And, last but certainly not least, can you give us a little tease about Warlock’s upcoming album?**

 _MB_ : There’s not much I can say other than I think this is probably our best so far. Everyone’s really been putting their all into this one. Tessa and I have been writing music non-stop; she’s got some amazing guitar riffs ready too. Cat’s really been inventive with the drumbeats lately as well. And Ragnor is, well, _Ragnor_. He’s the best bassist around, despite his grouchiness. We are all very excited to share the new album. It doesn’t have a name yet but, rest assured, we are very near to its completion, so its release should be very soon.

 **_DW_ ** **: Well we’re definitely looking forward to it!**

* * *

 

Magnus loved the atmosphere of Pandemonium. It had taken him years of work to start up the club, but it was worth it, the result something he could actually be proud of. Even his band mates, grumps that they were, had grudgingly admitted that they were impressed with it. Well, maybe ‘grump’ was too harsh a word in the case of Tessa and Catarina. They’d been nothing but supportive of _all_ his projects outside their music. Ragnor, on the other hand, was the perfect definition of grumpy (for _him_ , it was probably too nice). Still, his long time best friend had actually _smiled_ at the opening of Pandemonium. _That_ was definitely a victory in Magnus’ book.

So, yes, Magnus _loved_ Pandemonium and all the partying that came with it.

That didn’t mean he didn’t grow bored with it at times, however. Even something as glamorous as a owning his very own nightclub could become monotonous.

If there was one thing Magnus Bane _hated_ it was monotony. Life to him was an adventure. He liked doing different things every week, liked the excitement that came with something _new_. It was part of why he did so well in the entertainment industry; he was more than capable of keeping up with the fast pace it demanded. It was also, unfortunately, part of the reason he _didn’t_ do so well with his romantic relationships. He grew bored too easily, or was too demanding. Now at twenty-eight, his one meaningful relationship had been with Camille Belcourt, a popular model and, as he learned too late, a cold-hearted, money-grabbing bitch.

It was safe to say that particular break-up had been explosive in the worst of ways.

But he’d managed to come out on top of it, though not for lack of trying on Camille’s part. He was happier now than he’d been in a long time. His band mates, bless their darling souls, had been there to help him get back to his feet after the whole Camille debacle. And he’d hit the ground _running_ and hadn’t stopped since. 

So now his days were filled to the brim with things to do, from writing songs with Tessa, to tour planning and recording said songs, to designing clothes, to auditioning for new acting roles, to managing his club. And that wasn’t even including his social life, of which he had _plenty_.

Magnus was happy with his life right now. Content, some might say.

So it really confused him that he was _still_ bored. And he wasn’t sure why. Or rather, he didn’t want to admit to _why_.

It was sad to say, but Magnus Bane was lonely. Despite being able to see his close friends on daily basis for the past ten years (considering they were all members of _Warlock_ ), and despite his many one-night stands and various dates, he was missing something. Part of him told him that he missed Camille but most of him knew that it wasn’t _Camille_ herself that he wanted again… no, he wanted that kind of _intimacy_ again _._ He wanted someone to come home to, someone to be in a _real_ relationship with.

But even if he wanted that subconsciously, he would never admit to it out loud. He was Magnus Bane after all; he had a reputation to uphold. _Magnus Bane_ couldn’t be seen moping about his lack of a real love life. And, besides, a large part of him was scared of opening up only to get his heart stomped on _again_.

Perhaps the whole relationship thing was best avoided.

So here he was, spending yet another night in Pandemonium with the rest of Hollywood’s elite crowd. He’d done his usual round of greeting his acquaintances, being pleasantly surprised when he spotted Clary Fray among the masses. His greeting to her was much more genuine than the others as he swooped in to give her a big hug just as she was at the bar waiting for drinks. Despite her name being on his permanent entry list since the club’s opening, she rarely made appearances at Pandemonium. Magnus supposed that was because, though having copious famous connections, she wasn’t one for the limelight. He really couldn’t fault her for that, though her having a famous boyfriend probably didn’t help her in this regard. 

Magnus had known Clary for as long as he’d been selling music. The daughter of former actress Jocelyn Fairchild and now-disgraced director Valentine Morgenstern, she definitely wasn’t unfamiliar with the ups and downs of being a celebrity. Hell, she’d even decided to go by ‘Fray’ to avoid being associated with fame. Magnus had first met her when his agent and Clary’s stepfather, Luke Garroway, had decided to take him and the rest of members of _Warlock_ on as clients. Then a young girl, Magnus had been immediately charmed by her and her penchant for sketching him (apparently he was ‘really pretty for a boy’; at least according to a ten-year-old Clary), they’d become fast friends despite the age difference. In many ways she was like a little sister to him.

He pulled her now to a slightly quieter corner of the club, wanting to talk for a bit.

“Magnus, this place is _packed_ ,” was the first thing Clary said, still having to shout to be heard over the music. “I’m so happy for you! It’s doing so well!”

“Why thank you. It _is_ quite fantastic, isn’t it?” Magnus replied with a grin.

“You _know_ that it is,” she replied with an exasperated eye roll.

“True. Did you bring anyone with you tonight?”

 “Jace and our friends Izzy and Alec.”

Ah Jace Wayland. Of course. Clary’s boyfriend and one of the few child actors he knew of that seemed to have kept his head screwed on (relatively) straight. A lot of that was likely due to Clary’s grounding influence. Magnus had also benefited from that every once in a while; both her and her stepfather were the first to tell him when he was acting like an ass.

They spoke for a while longer; or rather, attempted to, it really was too loud to hold a proper conversation. One of the few downsides of owning a club was the absolute _hell_ it did to his ears.

“I probably have to head back to the others. Can’t leave Jace ‘unattended’ too long,” Clary finally said, air quotes and all.

Magnus laughed. “I understand all too well. I’ll see you for our coffee date next week though, won’t I?”

She pulled him for another hug. “Of course! Love you,” she announced as she always did when they parted ways. 

He let out another chuckle. “You too, biscuit”

He watched as she practically skipped away; she always _had_ been a happy drunk, he knew. When her trademark red hair disappeared, he looked away again, giving himself a moment to collect himself before joining the crowd of dancing people. It seemed that, even with Clary’s presence, this would be a night like every other.

That was, until he spotted the most stunning man he’d ever laid eyes on. Magnus had always had a weakness for beautiful people. Apparently this was doubly true for deliciously tall, pale-skinned and dark-haired _hotties_.

 _You learn something new everyday_ , he mused.

And _this_ man, this man was all of those things. He towered over the crowd, light skin flushed prettily with exertion ( _god_ did that give Magnus ideas), his black hair messy, plastered slightly against his forehead. His shirt was obscenely tight (something that he _definitely_ appreciated), showing off an obviously muscled chest as well as absolutely _gorgeous_ arms. And don't even get him started on his _face_. Magnus did not believe in a higher power, but a face like that one was very making him doubt that decision… because _that_ face was _angelic_ (Magnus was perfectly aware of the cheesiness of that statement, but it was also the truth so _sue_ him). The cheekbones alone were enough to make someone religious. Magnus didn’t even want to get into his Adonis’ lips; he was pretty sure he would spontaneously combust if he did. 

And _those_ eyes. Even at this distance he could tell they were something special about them (though to be honest, everything about this man was special so far). They were light enough that they made his hair look even darker. The best part was that they were staring right at Magnus and with unabashed interest to boot. 

Magnus knew what he’d be doing tonight (or perhaps _who_ would be a better word). Never one to beat around the bush, he winked suggestively at his mystery man.

But then Adonis did something unexpected and downright endearing. He _blushed_ , the red blossoming slowly over his cheeks in a way that was _much_ to tempting. It was honestly the most adorable thing Magnus had ever seen.

Just when he thought the other man couldn’t get more intriguing, he turned abruptly around and disappeared out the door to the private balcony.

Magnus made the immediate decision to follow.

Of course, _literally_ crashing into Adonis had been unexpected but, really, he couldn’t have planned it better. After all, he definitely wouldn’t complain about having this man’s hands holding him up. And he made _certain_ to let him know. 

Then, as if he couldn’t get more adorable, the poor man stuttered. Actually _stuttered_ … and all of Magnus’ his half-formed plans for one night of fun flew out the window.

 _Gods above, he is_ _beautiful_.

And he really was. Up close the exterior was even more alluring than from a distance. But that wasn’t ultimately what had drawn Magnus in. No, it was the look in the taller man’s eyes, the kindness, the nervousness and the unexpected _innocence_. Magnus had known many people who were beautiful on the outside, but very few who were beautiful on the inside as well. He could already tell this man was both.

Magnus _had_ to know who his Adonis was. He spewed out some sort of line in order to get an introduction and was pleasantly surprised when the man responded his name was Alec (though he was quick to use Alexander in place of it). Something about his name and his face tickled at his mind, as if he should know who Alexander was.

Alas, the singer was much too focused on _admiring_ the man before him to think much on _that_. That is, until Alexander, gorgeous, mysterious Alexander, pulled another disappearing act on him, saying something about ‘having to people waiting for him’. Honestly, if Magnus had been more with it, he was sure he could have said something clever to get him to stay.

Then again maybe not. It seemed the object of his fascination had a bit of a Cinderella complex, constantly running away from him.

Magnus couldn’t deny it had its charms, though.

Getting over the whiplash of Alexander’s sudden departure, he once again set about following him (he really hoped this wouldn’t classify him as a stalker). Thankfully, Alexander’s incredible height made him easy to spot in the crowd. Magnus saw him go up to a woman in a red dress (who was, admittedly, drop dead gorgeous), ducking down so he could whisper something in her ear. For a moment, he lamented at his loss (of course someone as utterly enchanting as Alexander wouldn’t be single) but then the woman turned and Magnus immediately knew he’d jumped to the wrong conclusion. 

Isabelle Lightwood. He recognized her right away. Her various relationships, including a more prolific one with Meliorn of Seelie Queen, a rival band, were a constant source of gossip and tabloid fodder. Yet even with her personal life always on display (damn those harpies they call ‘paparazzi’), she still remained most famous for her recent movie successes as well as the TV show that she started out on. The TV show, he suddenly remembered, that also starred her brother.

It hit him then.

Her brother’s name was Alec. Alec _Lightwood_.

 _Alexander_.

No wonder he'd seemed familiar upon a closer look. The Lightwoods were universally _adored_. Magnus himself had never seen the hype… he was starting to get it now though.

Perhaps this news should have worried him a bit. If anything, however, it _delighted_ him. Isabelle was Alexander’s sister. That meant, as far as he knew, Magnus still had a chance.

Well, far be it for _him_ to give that up.

Again, he found himself following Alexander (which really wasn’t helping him convince himself that he _wasn’t_ a stalker). As he pushed his way through the throng of people, it occurred to him that he had heard the name ‘Alec’ earlier as well, from Clary. Alec and _Izzy_ , to be more specific. That couldn’t be a coincidence.

 _It’s a small world,_ he thought.

He finally managed to catch up when they were outside, waiting for a moment until Isabelle moved away from her brother. Magnus took the chance to get Alexander to himself again. He succeeded, _finally_ , and was able to get a good amount of flirting in as he programmed his number into the taller man’s phone. A part of him considered keeping him there longer, especially after running out after him, but he knew logically it would be better not to push _too_ much. Besides, he didn’t want to seem desperate.

Even so, it was exceedingly difficult to step away from Alexander after he’d leaned in to whisper a suggestive ‘call me’ to him. The actor’s presence was absolutely _intoxicating_. Magnus longed for more of him. But, still, he moved away. No matter his temptation, he wouldn’t want to make the other man uncomfortable with his advances and, considering he seemed a bit on the inexperienced side, that was a possibility. He kept his eyes on Alexander for as long as possible as he went back in though. Happily, Alec had similar trouble with letting Magnus go, his gorgeous hazel eyes glued to his form.

Magnus took that as a good sign and was confident he would get a call very soon. After all, interest was expressed on _both_ sides… right?

He wasn’t completely sure but there was nothing wrong with hoping.

Even with the uncertainty, however, Magnus found himself walking on air the next morning, his thoughts constantly drifting back to his Adonis. It stayed that way even as he went to work, going to a planned song-writing session with Tessa.

“Tessa, I do believe I’ve found an angel,” he told her dreamily when he arrived at her place.

Tessa’s eyes widened in shock before she laughed, shaking her head fondly. “Oh _Magnus_.”

He wasn’t sure why she’d said it like _that_. He wasn’t _lying_. Alec Lightwood was something else. And Magnus Bane was more than determined to see him again.

  

* * *

  

“So did you call him yet?” Izzy asked as she entered his bedroom, plopping down on his bed.

“Who?” Alec replied from where he was seated at the desk. He flipped idly through the script that his agent had sent him that morning. Truth be told though, he hadn’t absorbed a single word of it, his mind too preoccupied. 

Izzy narrowed her eyes at him. “ _Who_? Don’t even try to play dumb with me, Alexander Gideon Lightwood. You _know_ who.”

 _Of course_ he knew whom she was talking about. He didn’t exactly get a good-looking man’s number every day. That didn’t mean he wanted to admit to it though, or admit to thinking about actually _calling_ him. And he _definitely_ didn’t want to admit that he’d been staring at his phone helplessly for the past _three_ days.

That would make him look like a whole new level of pathetic.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to see Magnus. On the contrary, Alec was very much interested in seeing the singer again; he’d like nothing more in fact. But he also knew he shouldn’t.

Magnus Bane was high profile. He was world famous, admired by _millions_. He was very publically bisexual. He was outspoken about his beliefs. He was completely himself and _proud_ of it. 

He was everything that Alec was not.

And as much as he wanted to get to know him better, as much as he wanted to see where that spark of connection he’d felt with the older man would go… he found he couldn’t take the leap. Unsurprising really. Alec had never been the brave one in the family.

That didn’t mean he hadn’t agonized over his decision to stay away, hadn’t doubted it on a near hourly basis. This was the _first_ time someone like Magnus had shown interest in him. And Alec really, _really_ wished he had the balls to give in and call him.

But he didn’t. It was like he was stuck in this rut. He didn’t want to keep who he was hidden forever but at the same time he couldn’t find the courage to admit to who he was either. Every time he even _thought_ about doing so, he felt this indescribable panic eat at them. He could hear his mother’s voice from his childhood, telling him that thoughts like his, _people_ like him, were wrong. That it was unnatural.

And Alec remained stuck.

So no matter how much he stared at Magnus’ number, torn between dialing it and deleting it, he never did either.

It probably didn’t matter anymore anyways. He was sure Magnus had already moved on, like a normal person would. For the best, really. Alec wouldn’t be able to give him what he wanted.

“You know I don’t think Magnus Bane gives out his number to just anyone,” Izzy said softly, reminding him of her presence. She had snuck up beside him unnoticed, and now had her hand resting gently on his shoulder, an attempt at reassurance.

“Maybe.”

“Alec.” She sat on the desk and grabbed his hand, forcing him to look at her. “I think you should call him, go out with him even. It could be good for you.”

Alec ran his free hand through his hair, frustrated. He felt tense and nervous and it was all too _much_. Everything was at war with each other; what he had been taught versus what he _felt_ … what his sister wanted him to admit to. But he _couldn’t_. “I can’t do that, Izzy. I just– People could _see_.”

There was fire in her eyes now, tempered slightly by the sadness that he always caused her when he said things like that. “And what’s wrong with that? You don’t have to be ashamed of who you are,” she insisted, squeezing his hand.

Alec pulled back abruptly, standing. “I just _can’t_ ok, so could you drop it? Please?”

“Ok, fine. But when you’re ready to talk about it, I’ll be here,” Izzy finally said, looking a little hurt at his rejection.

Alec hated that _he_ always seemed to be the one to upset her. She deserved more than that from him. He moved back in front of her, placing his hand on one of her shoulders, trying to reassure her as she did him.

“I know you will,” he replied, dropping a kiss to the top her head.

Izzy smiled up at him, before hopping back up to her feet, suddenly determined. “Come on. Enough moping for the both of us. I have the perfect idea of something to cheer you up.”

 

* * *

 

Sometimes it hit Alec how grateful he should be to have a sister like Izzy. Her bringing him to the archery range to cheer him up was one of those times. She really did know him better than he knew himself; archery was the one thing that always made him unwind. Although he’d originally started learning for his role in ‘ _Hunters_ ’, he quickly realized that he had an aptitude for it. And that he _loved_ it, even more than martial arts, his other hobby. There was something about the process of it all, of nocking an arrow and letting it fly, that he found utterly relaxing. It was now, without a doubt, his favorite hobby. His old apartment had even been just ten minutes by foot to his archery range. Still, the last time Alec had gotten to pick up his bow was more than six months ago; he just hadn’t had the time for it in New York.

Thank god for Iz though, who not only brought him here, but also thought far enough ahead to get his personal bow out of storage.

 _I really need to return the favor at some point_ , he thought to himself as he loosed his first arrow of the afternoon. It hit just a little left of the bulls-eye; clearly, he was rusty after his months of no practice. (Alec was a bit of perfectionist when it came archery. Clary had once joked that with his attitude he should be in the Olympics.)

This particular range was outdoors, so Izzy sat behind him on a picnic blanket, happily soaking up the sun and reading something on her tablet. She pitched in with a comment or a sassy remark every now and then but otherwise left him to it. He insisted she have a go towards the end, knowing that she had a not-so-secret enjoyment of the sport as well, though she had less patience for it than he did. She was more partial to the whip they’d trained her in for ‘ _Hunters_ ’ anyways (why anyone thought it would be a good idea to arm Isabelle Lightwood with a _whip_ was beyond him).

A couple of hours later saw them both resting on the picnic blanket. Alec was happier than he’d been for the past couple of days, all the tension he’d been feeling earlier gone. Izzy was chattering next to him, proud that she’d managed to get more than a few bulls-eyes herself. Alec just hummed in the right places, knowing that once she got started, she could go on for a while. One wouldn’t think it when looking at her, but his little sister had a bit of a rambling streak in her (though definitely not as bad, or as awkward, as Alec’s).

Half-listening to her, Alec picked up his phone again. He unlocked it to find the screen still on Magnus’ number. A rush of nervousness and anticipation ran through his belly, but he decided ignore it. He was sorely tempted to finally make the jump and just _call_ the guy (or even text him, just… _something_ ) but that small, terrified voice in him crushed that thought.

He couldn’t call Magnus Bane. It was too dangerous, too _enticing_.

 _I should really just delete the number_ , he thought to himself, his thumb hovering over the delete button. But, just as before, he found he couldn’t do it.

 _You’re such an idiot_.

Sensing he was getting frustrated again, he quickly exited his contacts and was just about to shut the phone off entirely when he noticed he had an Instagram notification. Opening it, he saw Izzy had tagged him in something; he had a feeling he would know what it was. He followed the link to see she’d taken a short video of him holding his bow and expertly hitting three targets in quick succession. The video ended with the camera turning on her so she could give a playful wink. Underneath there was a short caption:

 **izzylights  
** Matt Decker (aka @aleclightwood) keeping up his skills. #therealmvp #archery #hunters #lightwoods2k16

He was completely unsurprised by her posting this; he’d even expected her to at this point. Izzy was all for the wonders of social media, after all. In fact, she was the reason he had as many accounts as he did. Alec didn’t actually mind it that much; it just gave him all the more opportunity to interact with their fans. He was more than aware that both he and his sister wouldn’t be where they were without them.

Still, he couldn’t help but make a comment. “How many likes do you think I’d get if I posted that video of you dropping the arrow when you tried to nock it? _Twice_?” he teased, a smug smile tugging at his lips. 

“You wouldn’t dare! I have a badass reputation to uphold!” Izzy replied in mock offense, smacking his arm.

“Ow,” he said dryly, raising an eyebrow in her direction. “Yes, such a badass, Izzy.”

“ _Cállate, hermano_. We both know I could take you down.”

That probably wasn’t far from the truth, actually. She’d taken just as many martial arts classes as he did, and she had the added advantage of being a truly sneaky opponent. Alec wisely decided to change the subject.

“What else do you have planned for us today?” he asked instead, sitting up off the blanket.

She followed his lead, sitting up beside him. “How do you know I have anything else planned?”

Alec rolled his eyes. “Because you wouldn’t be _you_ if you didn’t.”

Izzy smirked, her eyes gleaming mischievously. “True.” She stood up suddenly. “Guess it’s time for part two of Alec and Izzy’s day of fun.”

“Day of fun? Really? You have to work on your naming skills.”

“Well it’s accurate, isn’t it?”

 

* * *

  

It turned out that it _was_ accurate, Alec (somewhat begrudgingly) admitted. Their next destination was their favorite restaurant, a nice little Mexican place that they’d been going to since the early days of ‘ _Hunters_ ’. The owners knew them by name and always treated the two of them like family. It was a nice atmosphere to be in. It also helped that the food was _fantastic_.

After the restaurant, Izzy convinced him to go shopping with her. This was a little less his speed, but even that had been surprisingly fun. They were both in good form today, cracking jokes back and forth without malice, the earlier tension completely forgotten.

Of course, Izzy also kept up a run of Instagram posts of their day out, which was entertaining in itself. She snapped a couple pictures of their food and then of the shops they went to, each with a funny caption. His favorite picture by far was the last one though, when she wrangled him into taking a selfie with her. The end result wasn’t all that bad, her caption reading:

 **izzylights  
** Sibling bonding day success with @aleclightwood! #alecisthebestbigbro #fav #lightwoods2k16

It was the commentary thereafter that really made it for him though.

 **jacewaybetterthanyou  
** @izzylights I thought I was your favorite big brother?

 **izzylights  
** @jacewaybetterthanyou sorry that position has been filled; you can try out for the position of favorite TV brother

 **jacewaybetterthanyou  
** @izzylights I can’t believe you would do this to me. I bet @aleclightwood wouldn’t make me audition

Alec laughed at that and decided to add his two cents in.

 **aleclightwood  
** @jacewaybetterthanyou You would be wrong about that.

 **jacewaybetterthanyou  
** @aleclightwood @izzylights …i hate you both

The response had been immediate. Alec could practically _see_ Jace crossing his arms and glaring at his phone, probably grumbling under his breath.

Laughing quietly to himself, he almost missed the notification that said Izzy tagged him in something else. He followed the link, which opened up to a picture that was clearly from a few years ago, with him and Izzy in full costume as Matt and Em. Alec quickly looked down to her comment at the bottom.

 **izzylights  
** #tbt fun times with the best big bro @aleclightwood on the set of #hunters. I’d like to take a moment to dedicate this one to @jacewaybetterthanyou

Alec almost guffawed at that, admiring his sister’s evil genius. “This is going to drive him _nuts_ ,” he said, glancing at Izzy, who was stood beside him examining her nails in way that was meant to be nonchalant. Her smug smile gave her away though.

“That’s the plan,” she replied, her smirk widening at the half proud, half afraid look he gave her.

Soon the responses were rolling in, both from the fans (mostly consisting of things along the lines of ‘awwwww’ or ‘THIS IS SO CUTE I WANNA DIE’ – he had to admit he was a bit worried about that last one) and from their friends. Including Jace, of course.

 **jacewaybetterthanyou  
** @aleclightwood @izzylights you are both officially disinvited from pizza night tonight

 **itsclaryfray  
** @aleclightwood @izzylights no you’re not, can’t have pizza without my favs here to help me deal with @jacewaybetterthanyou

 **jacewaybetterthanyou  
** @aleclightwood @izzylights @itsclaryfray you are all dead to me

 **izzylights  
** @itsclaryfray I think we broke him :P

 **itsclaryfray  
** @izzylights mission accomplished!

Alec couldn’t help but agree with Clary on that last one. His sister’s devious little mission was _definitely_ accomplished. He was also, he found, more than a little bit worried at how terrifying the women in his life could be.

“Still up for pizza?” Izzy asked him now.

Alec could only nod.

  

* * *

 

Three days. That’s how long Magnus had waited for a call from a certain tall, exceedingly handsome actor. Now that’s not to say he had spent the entirety of the last three days staring at his phone or anything. He’d only checked every ten minutes or so.

God, this was ridiculous. He was turning into some sort of pining schoolgirl. Magnus Bane did not _pine_. He had met the man _once_ , for maybe _five_ minutes, surely he shouldn’t be this hung up over him? He didn’t even _know_ Alec Lightwood.

That was just it though; he wanted to _get_ to know him.

Magnus sighed to himself. He really wished he’d had the forethought to send himself a message from Alexander’s phone. Then he wouldn’t be having this problem.

Or maybe he would have. He wasn’t even sure if Alexander would be _interested_. After all, as far as the public knew (Magnus may or may not have conducted an in depth investigation of the other man – thank god for Google), the actor was as straight as they came. They certainly hadn’t seen any evidence to the contrary. But then Magnus would remember the _want_ in the other man’s eyes when he’d looked at him on the dance floor… and he couldn’t help but think that it was all a bold-faced lie. Besides Alec Lightwood had also never had any confirmed relationships with people of the female persuasion. There was a very real possibility here that he _was_ interested in other men.

But even if that possibility were true, that likely meant that the younger man was still firmly in the closet. Magnus had made it a point to stay far away from closeted gay men; he knew all too well that starting something with them often ended up with at least one broken heart. The idea of having to hide his relationships had never sat well with him either. It had taken Magnus a lot of pain to get to where he was, to be comfortable with himself; he wasn’t about to give that up.

God, he really _was_ being ridiculous. Why was he even thinking of this when it clearly wasn’t even a possibility in the first place? Alexander hadn’t called and, as Magnus had now accepted, he _wouldn’t_ call.

He should just let this one go.

But at the same time, he found he  _couldn’t_. Something about Alexander had awoken something in him, something he’d thought lost after Camille. For the first time since his demon of an ex-girlfriend, Magnus felt attraction for something more than just the physical.

It was just his luck that this attraction had to be for an enigma like Alec Lightwood.

_But you’re already this far gone. What’s the harm in trying one last time?_

There was one person he thought might be able to help him with his little problem. A mutual friend. His little Google search had confirmed what he already knew. Clary’s friend Alec was the very same as Magnus’ Alexander.

Thus far, Magnus had avoided using this connection to his advantage. Bad enough that his band mates were already teasing him about his new infatuation; he really didn’t need his pseudo-sister getting in on the action. However, desperate times called for desperate measures. And this was his last option.

This would require a face-to-face conversation, he knew. Clary was notoriously protective of her friends. If he expressed an interest in Alexander, she would likely get her guard up not matter how much she liked him. He’d need to use all his considerable charm to get through to her.

Decision made, Magnus headed out.

 

* * *

  

It turned out that Jace was quick to ‘forgive’ him and Izzy when Alec offered to pay for the pizza. Alec didn’t really mind, it was supposed to be his turn to pay anyways. Thankfully, Jace was a bit oblivious with these things and _always_ forgot whose turn it was. For someone who was naturally quite observant, it was surprisingly easy to trick him.

Pizza night had been a tradition for the Lightwood-Wayland-Fray family since ‘ _Hunters’_ had first ended; something they started so they could always keep up with each other’s lives even as their careers moved in different directions. It usually happened the first Sunday of the month at Jace and Clary’s place and consisted of, as the name suggested, a lot of pizza and a mandatory movie marathon. Alec was happy to be able to take part again, having missed the past six. Izzy and Clary had always made sure to send him pictures and text him during the last ones but it just wasn’t the same.

It was definitely nice to get back to their usual routine. Alec called for the pizza without asking what everyone wanted, knowing all their orders by heart. Some things didn't change even after three years.

When he returned, he collapsed heavily in ‘his’ armchair, the exhaustion of the day catching up to him. (They all had unofficial designated seats; he got the armchair, Clary and Jace the big sofa, and Izzy the loveseat.)

“So what are we watching?” Jace asked from where he was sat in between Clary’s legs, his hands on her knees while she leaned her arms over his shoulders, her fingers playing with the ends of his hair.

“I know, how about–”

“Izzy, we are _not_ watching Love Actually again,” both Alec and Jace intoned at the exact same time.

She pouted. “Buzzkills.”

“Sorry Iz, but even _I’ve_ had enough of that movie,” Clary said, with more sympathy than either of the boys.

“Ok, but I refuse to watch anything too action-y,” the younger Lightwood stated firmly.

“Hey! I resent that! I _do_ action,” Jace grumbled back without heat, “or is it that I _get_ a lot of action? I can never remember.”

“Keep going like that and you won’t be getting any action for a least a week,” his girlfriend replied without missing a beat.

Alec kept silent for the most part, just enjoying being able to observe the usual banter. He knew by now that his friends probably wouldn’t get around to actually picking a movie until _after_ the pizza came. So, being the good citizen he was, he already started looking for some options. True to form, he’d only managed to narrow it down to five options when the doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it,” he announced, rather uselessly considering how he was just waved off by his so-called siblings, Jace and Izzy too busy bickering to care. Only Clary glanced at him, just to give him a dorky thumbs up. Alec may or may not have returned it. 

With thoughts of pizza on his mind, Alec was quick to open the door.

Of course, with the way his life had been going the past three days, he should have expected karma to come and bite him in the ass.

Because standing _right_ in front of him was one Magnus Bane, still as frustratingly beautiful as ever, even with his face downturned to his phone. Alec was speechless as he stared at the other man, shocked that he was here. This was just _surreal_. Yet, despite his utter disbelief, he still found himself getting distracted by the caramel skin peaking out at him from the deep v of Magnus’ shirt.

_This. Cannot. Be. Happening._

His mind remained foggy with surprise even as Magnus began speaking.

“Biscuit, I have to talk you about something of the _highest_ priority. It’s about–” Finally, as if sensing something was amiss, Magnus looked up. Shock made his face pale slightly. “– _Alexander_ ,” he finished on an exhale, striking brown eyes wide.

And Alec, being cursed with social awkwardness (especially around people he found undeniably attractive) had only one thing to say in return.

“You’re not pizza.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Cackles* how's that for a cliffhanger?
> 
> Just a few little notes:  
> -I decided I wanted to have Magnus' perspective on their first meeting but, don't worry, I won't keep repeating scenes like that  
> -I will, however, be adding more and more different perspectives as the fic goes on  
> -Also, I might eventually make a few manips so I have actual 'fake' Instagram posts and stuff (if anyone would interested in that)
> 
> One final, important thing: Sadly, I won't be able to update much for the next month (if at all) because of exams for university; sorry about that! I'll try to finish my malec alphabet in the meantime (for those who want to know) and I'll update this fic as soon as I have more time!
> 
> Thanks for reading and let me know what you think!


	3. Of New Friendships and (Completely Objective) Third Party Observers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so, first off let me preface this by saying I am SO SORRY this took so long! I really hadn't realized it's been more than a month since the last chapter; I feel awful that I've left it this long. But, in better news, I've finally gotten around to writing an official outline for this fic, so it really shouldn't happen again. (I think.) Hope you all can forgive me!
> 
> Secondly, I just wanted thank you all so much for the lovely response the last chapter got! I replied to everyone's comments earlier and they all made me smile so much, I probably looked like a lunatic... So thank you! (And extra thank you's to all 'good lucks' for my exams; you guys are seriously the best!)
> 
> Thirdly, this chapter is finally diving into some other perspectives, not just those of Magnus or Alec. It also marks the end of the introductory/beginning chapters, so after this the plot is going to pick up more. (Yay!)
> 
> And fourth, I really hope you all enjoy this update! You can expect lots of Alec's grumbling at life, Magnus' fabulousness, mutual pining all around, ladies being awesome, and last (but not least) the resolution to the infamous 'you're not pizza' line ;) Enjoy!

**ShadowFeed’s Top 5 Celebrity Moments of the Week**

_Our weekly list of our favorite celeb shenanigans.  
_ _Check out last week’s list here!_

  1. **Popular YouTube cover artist, Simon Lewis, and his band got signed by Luke Garroway’s Jade Records**



That’s right, everyone’s favorite youtuber Simon Lewis is now in the same league as Magnus Bane… ok, well maybe not _yet_ , but they do have the same producer and agent extraordinaire now. Luke Garroway is well known for being fully involved in all aspects of his clients’ careers and being the driving force behind many of their successes. In fact, the delectable Mr. Bane himself has been quoted as saying that ‘without Luke, there would be no Warlock; we owe him everything’. If that doesn’t make you think that Simon is in good hands, then we don’t know what will. Either way, we here at ShadowFeed are sure he’ll do great! Congrats!

 

  1. **Raphael Santiago looked exceptionally snappy at the premiere of ‘Hotel Dumort’**



In the celebrity world, there have been many a fashion faux pas, but we are happy to report that Raphael Santiago has never committed one. The actor arrived at the premiere of his new horror flick ‘Hotel Dumort’ wearing a gorgeous maroon Armani suit with a charcoal shirt and matching shoes, leaving everyone present rather flustered (us included). All we can say is thank god for Raphael Santiago’s sense of style.  
  
Click through our gallery of the event here!

 

  1. **Jace Wayland is pictured shirtless on the set of his new movie ( _again_ )**



Another day, another shirtless pic of Jace Wayland. But what can we say? We _love_ it. The hunky star has been getting a lot of media attention on the set of the upcoming and still unnamed Michael Bay blockbuster. A plot has yet to be released to the press, but from these  pics we can all safely assume that it’ll be steamy.

Read through our Top 10 Jace Wayland Shirtless Moments here!

 

  1. **The Lightwood siblings treated us all to inside look into a day of their lives… and it was epic!**



Three years ago Nickelodeon’s ‘Hunters’ was arguably the most popular kid’s show on television, but it wasn’t just kids that were fans. The Lightwood siblings have been family favorites all around the country and beyond, so to see their online interactions is always a delight. Isabelle Lightwood’s social media accounts were _flooded_ with posts about her and her brother’s day out about town. We got all the Matt and Em Decker feels from the amount of adorableness that was posted. Even their former co-star, Jace Wayland (he seems to be everywhere these days), joined in with some clever comments. Of course, his girlfriend, Clary Fray, and Alec Lightwood himself soon shot him down with comments of their own. The whole thing was like the ‘Hunters’ reunion we’re all hoping for and we couldn’t be happier about it!

See all the posts here!

 

  1. **_Warlock_ ’s new album finally has a release date! And a title!** 



That’s right! World-renowned band _Warlock_ has announced the release date of their fifth studio album! Catarina Loss took to twitter just yesterday to tell us the great news. The album, titled Sinners Not Saints, is due to be released on October 30 th of this year (we see what you did there). The track list isn’t yet finalized, according to band member Tessa Gray, but she said that no one needed to worry; they’ll be done with it quickly and have plenty of time to spare until Halloween. So far both Ragnor Fell and Magnus Bane have been silent about the news, but we’re sure they’ll be tweeting all of us adoring fans soon. In the meantime, we here at ShadowFeed are going to try and contain our excitement until October, which will be a difficult task indeed. Regardless, the number one spot on our list couldn’t be better deserved!

 

* * *

   

“You’re not pizza.”

Magnus blinked at that, surprised. Of all the second meetings he had been imagining with the lovely Alec Lightwood, he had certainly never expected it to start like _this_. Apparently, neither had Alexander, if the becoming blush that had spread across his cheeks was any indication. The part of him that wasn’t reeling in shock at the absurdity of this whole situation was already admiring the new rosiness of his companion’s cheeks. (Magnus was quickly becoming addicted to it, despite having only been exposed only a couple of times. He wondered how far down that blush of his went.)

Luckily most of him was rather preoccupied with the fact that somehow Alec Lightwood was _here_ at Clary’s house at the very same time Magnus just happened to drop by to talk to her. The odds of that were astronomical. Impossible, really.

It was the coincidence of all coincidences. Magnus was almost tempted to call it fate.

After a long moment passed, the older man realized he should probably say something back. He was uncharacteristically flustered but tried to keep it at bay. (He would worry about what his nervousness meant later… _much_ later. Maybe it was that whole fate thing again.) This is what he wanted, wasn’t it? He’d wanted to have a second chance with Alexander, to forge some sort of connection with him. The other man was entirely too intriguing to simply _forget_.

And, by the looks of it, coming to Clary for help had been an inspired idea.

 _Don’t let this opportunity go to waste_.

Magnus cleared his throat, before cocking an eyebrow, teasing. “No, I don’t suppose I am. Are you expecting pizza?”

“Um, yes, I- we are. We’re expecting pizza. Well, a pizza man. Or woman,” Alec managed to say, stumbling over his words. “Um, all of which you are obviously _not_ ,” he continued on brashly, visibly wincing at his awkwardness. 

The singer found it endearing. Everything about this man was endearing and _devastatingly_ sexy, Magnus was finding out… and he’d maybe spent fifteen minutes with him. Total. Who knows what he would find with a bit more time? 

He grinned. “I’m glad you noticed, Alexander.”

“Yeah, well…” Alec mumbled, before taking a fortifying breath. His nervousness seemingly abated some. “So uh, what are you doing here, Magnus?”

“A friend of mine just so happens to live here,” he said, enigmatically. Magnus knew the power of a little mystery. After all, he was looking right at one.

“But _my_ friend lives here,” Alec replied, brow furrowing in confusion.

“Yes,” Magnus drawled, suppressing the urge to smile, “I assume that’s why you’re standing here.” He decided to take some pity then. “Your friend doesn’t happen to be a tiny, fierce redhead, does she? Because, I have to tell you, I have dibs.” 

“Wait, you know Clar–” 

“Alec, what’s taking you so long? Do you want some help?” another, lighter voice asked from behind Alexander.

 _Speak of the devil,_ Magnus thought as he turned a grin toward Clary Fray, who was now just visible as she peered around what seemed like Alec’s elbow. (Ok, so she wasn’t _that_ short, but Alexander’s presence made it seem that way, much to his ever-lasting amusement.)

“Magnus!” she said happily, squeezing around her tall friend to give him a quick hug. “Hey! This is a nice surprise!”

Alec’s eyes flicked between the two of them, realization dawning. “Surprise…” he muttered under his breath, flabbergasted.

Magnus tore his gaze away from the other man, focusing on Clary. He squeezed her gently. “Yes, sorry for showing up so unexpectedly, biscuit. I didn’t think you’d have guests…” 

“Oh, oh my god, sorry. Alec this is Magnus. Magnus this is Alec,” Clary said, pulling away from him to nudge Alexander forward.

The singer smirked. “We’ve met.”

Now it was Clary’s turn to be confused. “Oh?” 

“Briefly,” Alec stated firmly, offering no clarification.

“Well then,” she replied, glancing between them suspiciously before her eyes narrowed at him. He immediately knew the minute she realized what was going on with him. He thought he’d been doing pretty well at hiding his feelings from her, all things considered… but the girl was far too clever for her own good. She sent him a look that very decidedly said they would be talking about this later, before plastering on a (thankfully genuine) smile. “Hey, do you want to come in and join us for pizza night?” she asked.

Magnus was surprised at the invitation and then he felt foolish for it. Clary was never one to leave someone out, even if she questioning their life choices. She just wasn’t built to be petty like that.

Still, he tried to graciously bow out. “Oh no, I could hardly interrupt your time with your friends.”

“You're my friend too, Magnus. And we always get _way_ too much pizza anyways. You’d be doing us a favor, right Alec?”

The other man startled slightly at the sudden turn of attention to him. “Yeah, it’s true. You’d be doing us a favor,” Alexander finally said.

Magnus grinned widely, his heart jumping in pleasure at the fact that _Alexander_ wanted him here. “If you insist.”

“We do,” Clary replied, grabbing at his hand. “Now come on, we’re just about to pick a movie.”

Magnus let himself be dragged along easily, but couldn’t resist throwing a cheeky wink Alec’s way, if only to see that blush one more time.

He did. It was _magnificent_.

(This was gearing up to be a pretty glorious night.)

 

* * *

 

 _Shit. Shit. Shit. Magnus is here, Magnus is_ here _. He’s here and he’s friends with_ Clary _. He’s even staying for_ pizza _night. This cannot be happening,_ Alec thought, panicking as he followed the other two into the house. He found his eyes roving over Magnus’ back and dipping down further and further. When he realized what he was doing, he snapped his eyes away so fast, he felt dizzy. Could he not control himself at _all_ around Magnus?

The answer was apparently a resounding no.

_Shit. I’m so screwed._

(And yet there was a large part of him that was jubilant at this turn of events… Alec didn’t want to think too much on it though. Thankfully his inner panicking overruled any pleasure he could be feeling.)

_What was I thinking? Why did I basically ask him to join in?_

He knew why of course. Much as he wanted to deny it, he _liked_ Magnus. Really liked him. For too many reasons.

_This is just asking for trouble. Idiot._

And _yet_ …

And yet.

Maybe he should leave the panicking for after tonight. There wasn’t exactly anything he could do about it now. He wasn’t about to kick Magnus out of Clary’s house and he didn’t want to make everyone uncomfortable by being openly rude either. No, he’d have to be normal as he could be. He could probably get away with being a little aloof, since that was what he was always like around relative strangers, but apart from that he could _under no circumstance_ s behave any differently than he normally did.

Which meant he’d also have to try to avoid Magnus as much as possible, because all his flirting made it really hard for him to act normally. Alec could recognize flirting pretty well at this point (he was related to Isabelle after all) but responding to it? That was a whole different ball game. He’d gotten pretty good at politely rebuffing people, but they’d mostly been girls younger than him. Magnus was just _different_. He shouldn’t be, but he was and Alec didn’t know what to do with that.

So yes, he should _definitely_ avoid Magnus as much as possible.

All while still remaining somewhat friendly.

God this was giving him such a headache.

He could do this.

(He couldn’t do this.)

Alec walked back into the living room with as much dignity as he could muster, ironically ecstatic for the moment that Magnus was here now to take the attention off of him. Both Jace and Izzy looked up excitedly (probably expecting the pizza that _still_ wasn’t here; life had been so much easier twenty minutes ago when all he’d wanted was some pizza). Their gazes turned confused and deviously excited respectively upon seeing Magnus with them.

It occurred to Alec then that he’d forgotten to factor in Izzy’s involvement in every aspect of his life, _especially_ his love life.

He nearly groaned aloud.

 _Fuck_.

 

* * *

 

 

Isabelle tried not to smirk happily when Magnus Bane walked through the living room door with Clary and Alec. She subtly turned her eyes to her brother and immediately noticed his conflicted expression. _Oh yes, this is perfect_ , she couldn’t help but think. Even before Clary announced to the room that Magnus was staying for their pizza night, Izzy knew she would get no better opportunity than tonight to really find out how Alec felt about the other man. 

She didn't even bother to question why he was here. Sure pizza night was important to the Lightwood-Wayland-Fray family, but it was hardly _sacred_. They’d invited others every now and then. Most often it was Clary’s cute friend Simon, who Izzy rather liked but the boys couldn’t stand (or _pretended_ they couldn’t stand). 

All Izzy really cared about at this point was that she help her brother out and get a feeling for who Magnus Bane _really_ was. The tabloids were less than accurate (as she knew intimately). So she stood up as soon as Clary was finished explaining Magnus’ presence and when Jace finished greeting him, intent on getting to him before Alec knew what she was doing. 

“Hey Izzy, this is Magnus Bane. Magnus this Isabelle Lightwood, Alec’s sister,” Clary said, making the necessary introductions. 

“Oh I know who he is.” _You’d have to live under a rock not to_. “I always keep an eye on people with even better style than I have. Pleased to meet you, Magnus,” Izzy said with a smile, holding out her hand.

Magnus returned her grin. “You too,” he replied, taking her hand and kissing the back of, in lieu of shaking it. _And he has manners too; big brother you picked well._ “And your shoes are to die for,” he added a minute later, winking playfully. 

Pleased, she glanced down at the brand-new heeled Mary Jane’s she’d bought on her shopping trip with Alec. (She hadn’t taken them off, even inside the house, they were really comfortable and she was proud of her purchase; finding the perfect pair of shoes was a hard business, no matter what people said.) “You think? I was worried they might be a bit too retro for me,” she said, surprised at her own sincerity.

“Hardly. Besides, there’s nothing wrong with a little retro. I bought the most gorgeous choker the other day.” Magnus told her, leaning forward like he was sharing a secret.

“You’ll have to show me where! And where you get your nails done.” His nails were seriously a thing of beauty.

“Oh these things? I do them myself.”

 _Polite, talented and a killer sense of style. I should have known my brother would pick literally the only person who seems to come as advertised on all the gossip blogs._ “They’re stunning. I always knew I picked the right style icon, but it’s still nice to have it confirmed.”

Magnus’ eyes gleamed happily. “You know what Isabelle, I get the feeling we’re going to become the best of friends.”

 _Oh this going to drive Alec crazy…_ but for once this wasn’t about him. Not completely. And Izzy liked to make new friends. So she just smiled a little wider and nodded. “The feeling’s mutual.”

They chatted a while longer, mostly about their respective fashion choices, all the while Alec was watching them like this was his worst nightmare come true. _Don’t worry, big bro_ , she thought, _I won’t let anything slip out._ Izzy found herself really enjoying Magnus’ company, as she suspected she would the minute they started talking. They even went so far as to exchange numbers and social media details within ten minutes of their meeting. 

Magnus also earned some points by trying to include Alec into the conversation as much as possible, even when her brother wasn’t making it easy on him, being quieter and even broodier than usual.

She was completely unsurprised that Alec jumped up when the doorbell rang a few minutes later, clearly wanting an escape. _Oh Alec…_

“I think that’s actually the pizza,” her brother said, totally _not_ running away from them.

Isabelle was about to say something more when she saw Magnus’ eyes trail after Alec. There was a longing in them that she hadn’t seen before and a small, hopeful smile playing at his lips. It looked like her brother wasn’t the only one concealing things. In fact, it shocked her that she hadn’t noticed it before when they were talking. 

Granted, she didn’t know Magnus all that well, but she knew enough to see that whatever he felt for Alec wasn’t just a passing attraction. This both worried and relieved Izzy.

She hoped that her brother didn’t break Magnus’ heart (he didn’t deserve that again, not after Camille Belcourt left her dirty paws all over him). God knows she loved Alec more than life itself, but one of these days he would be the agent of his own destruction… she didn’t want him to drag anyone with him. Beyond anything, she hoped Alec would give happiness a chance.

And Magnus might just be his chance. It was early days, sure, but Izzy had never been one to deny the fact that people fell in love in different ways. For some people it was slow and for others it was lightning fast. She had the suspicion that it might be more toward the latter here. Some people just had that _connection_ , a bond that was indescribable and almost impossible to understand by others. She saw that here, or rather the _possibility_ of that here.

Izzy decided right then as she was watching Magnus watch Alec that she was going to whatever she could to help the both of them.

“Like something you see there, Magnus?” she asked eventually, being sure to keep her tone light. 

Magnus blinked slowly, as if coming out of a trance. He smiled down at her, eyes soft. “Your brother leaves a lasting impression. I enjoyed our meeting the other day.” 

“Good. I’m glad,” she said firmly, before deciding to change gears. “Anyways, I’m going to go get some drinks for everyone.”

“I’ll help you, Isabelle dear.”

“Thank you. That would be appreciated.”

 _Whatever happens from now, at least I have a new friend_ , Izzy thought. You could never have too many friends, not in this town.

 

* * *

 

Alec didn’t know how it had come to this. 

(Well, actually, he did. _Izzy_.) 

Really, it was like the universe was taking special pleasure in messing with him today.

It started with the fact that getting the pizza had taken a lot longer than anticipated. The delivery girl, clearly still a college student, had recognized him, despite the sweats he was wearing and his five-o’clock-shadow covering his chin. She’d freaked out a little before admitting that ‘Hunters’ is what had gotten her through high school. Alec, though he had a general loathing for being in the public eye, had immediately offered to take a picture with her. The last thing he wanted was to be a disappointment to his fans after all they’d done for him. (Also, he had his own heroes in the industry. He knew what it was like to want to meet your idol.) After a picture and an autograph (as well as a nice tip; college was fucking _expensive_ ), he finally made his way back to the living room… only to find his usual armchair taken. 

Alec stared at his friends blankly, not computing what was going on. 

Izzy was sitting in his armchair; _why_ was Izzy sitting in his armchair? Her usual place was the _loveseat_. That was the _rule_. An unspoken rule, but a rule all the same.

(Also why was she _smirking_ at him?)

He glanced over at the loveseat, already knowing what he would see there. Yep, that was definitely Magnus, lounging in one half of the loveseat, leaving just enough space for one Alec-sized person. 

 _Damn it, Izzy_. 

He chanced a look at the sofa that Jace and Clary always occupied, hoping that there would be some space for him there. Naturally there wasn’t, not with the way the couple was sprawled out.

 _Shit_ , he thought for the umpteenth time.

Unfortunately, there was no changing reality. So he just took a deep breath and put the pizza on the coffee table, trying to appear calm. Then, with a quick glare at Izzy (she looked wholly unrepentant), he sat down on the loveseat.

And so it came to this. Alec was sitting nearly flush against Magnus Bane, the other man’s unfairly muscled thigh a hot brand against his own. Alec tried to ignore the harsh beating of his heart, instead reaching for some pizza. He chewed it tastelessly when Clary got up to put whatever DVD they’d decided on in.

(He was not going to admit defeat and take Clary’s seat. He was not going to admit defeat… also, he didn’t really want to sit in between Jace’s legs, no matter how close he was to the guy.) 

“Alexander, this is for you,” Magnus said, interrupting his thoughts. He handed him a colorful drink that was clearly some kind of cocktail. (It had little umbrella and everything.) “Your sister and Clary let me have free reign over the drinks. I decided to get a little creative.”

 _Of course. That’s not at all suspicious, Izzy._ “Thank you,” he said after a long minute, realizing he was staring quite rudely.

“My pleasure,” Magnus replied, laughing a little. 

The laugh put Alec a bit more at ease, the sound of it washing over him and relaxing him. (He really liked the sound of Magnus’ laugh.) Alec forced himself to completely calm down. There was no reason to make this into a big deal. He just needed to keep it together and it would be fine. This was a movie and pizza with _friends_ (and drinks with an exceedingly attractive man)… Alec would be fine. He had to be fine.

_Keep it together._

Forcing a smile, he held up his glass to toast Magnus’. The other man seemed amused, but humored him. As soon as their glasses clinked, Alec pulled back to try the drink. It was surprisingly fruity, the alcohol more an aftertaste than the focus. He decided he liked it.

“This is good,” Alec said, meaning it. 

He felt Magnus’ eyes on him. “Thank you. I do try.” 

They lapsed into silence for a while, distracted by the pre-movie trailers that were playing on the screen. He so was distracted by the man next to him that Alec wasn’t even sure what movie they were watching. He took another long gulp of the drink, focusing on the taste.

“I can see why you opened a club,” he found himself saying, before realizing that this wasn’t something he’d learned from the man himself, but rather from his extensive Google search about him.

Magnus seemed to realize this too, if his knowing smirk was anything to go by. Thankfully, he said nothing of it, instead nudging him. “Well _that_ and it gives me a chance to talk to tall, dark and handsome strangers like yourself.”

Alec felt himself flush. “Oh.”

“You should come visit Pandemonium again, Alexander. I guarantee you’ll have a good time.” Something in Magnus’ statement seemed like a challenge, one Alec couldn’t help but respond to.

“Yeah, I think I will.” 

The older man’s eyes glimmered with mirth, as well as something else entirely. “I’ll hold you to it.”

Finally, the movie started, though Alec wasn’t paying any attention to it, too focused on the feeling of Magnus beside him. He finished his cocktail much sooner than he normally would have, allowing the alcohol to lull him into a slight buzz. Even that didn’t help, couldn’t block the heat coming off Magnus. The scent of him was intoxicating, like sandalwood and citrus… but still manly. And then he had to go and shift a little, which only caused him to press closer to Alec. 

God, this was equal parts torture and fantasy.

And Alec had thought that deciding whether or not to call the man had been hard. He was even more torn on this now; on the one hand, not calling him had kept him out of situations like this… and on the other, actually calling would have _put_ him in situations like this. This experience might be incredibly nerve-wracking but it was also wonderfully _thrilling_.

Alec tried in vain to refocus his mind on the movie, something he usually had no trouble doing, but it was all in vain. All he gathered from it was that it was some sort of rom-com, probably picked by Clary and his sister. (Izzy probably thought it would bring him and Magnus closer together. _Sisters_.) 

At some point, Izzy made a witty comment about one of the characters, causing Magnus to collapse into laughter, his shoulder pressing into Alec’s side, hand falling onto the younger man’s knee.

“Biscuit, why have you never introduced me to the lovely Lightwood siblings before?” He called over to Clary when he’d recovered.

The redhead rolled her eyes. “Everyone in LA is always busy. Not my fault you were never here at the same time.”

“Then I’ll be glad we ran into each other this time,” Magnus said, his thumb rubbing tantalizing circles into the side of Alec’s knee. The younger man idly wondered what that would feel like higher up on his leg. He almost immediately felt guilty for the thought. Almost.

Luckily for him, the rubbing stopped, though Magnus did keep his hand where it was until the end of the movie. Alec considered it a job pretty well done that he hadn’t self-combusted in that time. Though when the end credits finally rolled and Magnus pulled his hand away he found he missed its weight.

The singer stretched out, working out the kinks from sitting for so long. Alec resolutely did _not_ stare.

“Anyone up for another movie?” Izzy asked from where she was still sat in _his_ armchair.

 _Oh god no, I don’t think I can handle this for much longer_. 

“Sure,” Clary chirped, snuggling deeper into her boyfriend’s side.

“Yeah, but this time me and Alec get to pick,” Jace added, nodding at him like he should be grateful.

Alec barely managed a nod back, trying to keep up the façade of normality. He tried to project the feeling of ‘nothing to see here’ to the rest of the group. Of course, it didn’t wok on anyone, except maybe Jace. Even Clary’s eyes were lingering on him and Magnus. (Was she conspiring against him _with_ Izzy? _Damn_ , he knew he’d been right to be terrified of the women in his life.) 

Feeling suffocated, Alec stood up suddenly. He needed to get out of here.

“I’m just going to get some air. I’ll be right back,” he muttered, already stalking toward the door to the back patio.

“I’ll join you, if you don’t mind. It’s getting hot in here,” Magnus said, somewhat suggestively. But he didn’t move, giving Alec a considering look, as if waiting for permission.

Alec didn’t have the strength to refuse him, not when he was staring at him like _that_ , with dark eyes and a little smirk on his lips. So he nodded and waited until the other man got up to follow.

If anything, this would get them out of the scrutiny of the others. That might make it easier for Alec to deal with this whole thing… right?

Yeah, no, probably not.

(Part of him was much too happy about that. _Stupid brain_ , he thought pettily _._ )

 

* * *

 

Clary watched Magnus and Alec exit curiously, wondering how long _that_ had been going on. As far as she knew, they’d met only once before, but with the way they looked at each other… she wasn’t too sure anymore. At least Magnus wasn’t looking Alec like he would one of his conquests. Clary didn’t mind that her friend had multiple partners over the last few months, of course; it was hardly her place to dictate how he lived his life (and hey, she had a libido herself, she _got_ it). She had just been worried that he viewed Alec as just another sexual partner and nothing else. Alec needed more than that, she knew, especially after all his years of repression.

So it was a huge relief that the interest between the two was more than that.

She just hoped that whatever their connection was would make them happy. It would do them both a lot of good to have someone to come home to. She smiled at the thought, snuggling further into her other half. Jace hugged her tight against his chest for a moment, pressing a kiss to her temple.

“You want another drink?” he asked her quietly.

Clary turned her to look up at him, raising an eyebrow. “Trying to get me drunk are you?”

“Cannot confirm or deny.”

She laughed. “Ok then, sounds good.”

Jace kissed her again, before pushing her away from him gently so he could crawl out from behind her. She watched him go fondly, though her eyes quickly turned back to the two outside, barely visible through the glass of the patio door. She was so focused on them (they were really cute, ok) that she jumped when Izzy suddenly plopped down beside her. 

“Jesus, we need to get you a bell,” Clary exclaimed. How her friend was _that_ quiet in heels, she’d never know. 

Izzy ignored her comment, nodding to where Magnus and Alec were stood talking. “You see what I see right?”

“Wait, you _knew_ about this?”

“There is no _this_ …” the brunette replied, sighing softly. There was something infinitely sad and yet also tentatively optimistic in her eyes. “There’s only the possibility. But my brother won’t let himself even think about it.”

 _Ah, of course._ Only Izzy’s family could put a look like that on her face. “Oh _Alec_ ,” Clary exhaled. “He knows none of us would think differently of him, doesn’t he? Jace wouldn’t care at all either, if he knew. He loves Alec like a brother and so do I. We just want him to be happy.” 

It was the truth, obviously. Alec was one of her closest friends; he didn’t need to hide himself from them. He didn’t deserve that. No one did.

“I’ve tried to tell him, but it’s not us he’s afraid of. You know how he is about family honor and all that… I think, more than anything, he doesn't want to ‘disappoint’ our parents,” Izzy said, frowning.

Clary reached over and squeezed the other girl’s hand. She knew all too well of Izzy’s troubles with her parents, her mom in particular. Maryse Lightwood had been both Alec and Izzy’s agent since the start of their careers and she’d made it no secret that she disapproved of her daughter’s extracurricular activities (and just about anything Izzy said or did).

The brunette gave her a grateful smile for the support, but moved on from the painful subject. “And he’s afraid he won’t get the roles he wants if he comes out,” she finished.

“But that’s ridiculous! There are plenty of gay actors who play all sorts of roles!” Clary exclaimed, already listing them in her head.

“Yeah, I know… but there are assholes in every industry.” Izzy replied, hissing through her teeth. Out of all people, Izzy had experienced more than her fair share of discrimination and prejudice, being a Latina woman in Hollywood.

 _Why do people have to be so bigoted? So small-minded?_

Clary squeezed Izzy’s hand again, though this time it was for her own reassurance as well as her friend’s. “I hate this. Poor Alec. Did he tell you all this?” 

“Not in so many words. But sometimes it feels like I know my brother better than I know myself... What about Magnus? Did he talk to you?”

The redhead snorted. “He didn’t have to _tell_ me anything. The mooneyes he’s been making at Alec are less than subtle. I’m just happy he seems interested in someone like that again. It was tough going after his last girlfriend.”

“Yeah, I read about that. The vultures put their breakup on every front page, I swear.” 

Clary nodded in agreement, remembering all the pain Magnus went through after what Camille did to him; the fact that his pain was splashed everywhere for everyone to look and laugh at had only made it worse. It was no wonder her friend had closed off his heart. But hopefully not for much longer. 

She turned to look at him and Alec again, now noticing they were much closer than they were before, eyes only for each other.

“They could be so good for each other. Look at them,” she said softly, smiling.

Izzy’s smile matched her own. “Yeah, I know… Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

 _Of course I am._ “We need to get them together.”

“Yes. Yes we do. I mean, ultimately it’s their choice, but there’s no harm in helping them along, right?” the brunette suggested, smirking deviously.

“Izzy, you’re reading my mind. Should we get Jace involved?”

The other girl shook her head, a little hesitantly. “No, we can’t tell him.” 

“Why not?” the redhead asked. She really didn’t like the idea of not including Jace.

Izzy also seemed uncomfortable with it, but pushed through. “Because I promised Alec I wouldn’t tell a soul about his sexuality and that includes talking about any of his crushes,” she said firmly. “The only reason I’m talking to you is because you’ve already realized it by yourself. So I’m not breaking the rules, just bending them a little.”

“And here I thought you loved to break the rules,” Clary teased.

Izzy rolled her eyes. “I do. But not when it comes to my brother.”

“Ok, fair enough. But you know I hate keeping secrets from Jace.”

“If he asks, just tell him that it’s not your secret to tell. Jace might be Jace, but he would understand.”

“Yeah, you’re right… ok, I won’t tell him. For now,” Clary replied, finally consented. 

What Izzy suggested she say to Jace wasn’t a bad idea. Jace, though he liked to project a clueless image, was much more observant than most gave him credit for. He likely already knew a little about what was up with Alec, but didn’t want take away Alec’s choices from him. Still, it probably wouldn’t be too long before he wedged his way into Clary and Izzy’s plans anyways. It would be very _Jace_ to do that.

But first they needed to _make_ some plans, of course.

“So when do we begin?” she asked.

Izzy laughed, red lips pulling into a mischievous smirk. “Oh my sweet summer child, I already have,” she said, patting Clary’s cheek once.

 _So that’s what the whole armchair thing was about. That’s just… genius._ Clary couldn’t help but join in laughing. “Izzy you are quite the sly fox and I wouldn’t want you any other way.”

Izzy just winked at her and didn't deny it.

 

* * *

 

To say Alec was relieved to get away from the others was an understatement. The pressure on his chest finally eased a little. He sighed, enjoying the cool breeze of the night air and letting it wash over him and calm the frantic thumping of his heart. He leaned against one of the columns at the edge of the patio, crossing his arms over his chest as he relaxed slowly.

“It’s nice out here,” said Magnus from beside him.

Alec almost expected to be pulled out of the veil of calm he’d settled in, but it was different out here with just the two of them and no one else watching. So he allowed himself to not get too worried. (He was a grown man; he could control himself and be normal… he hoped.)

“Yeah, I always tell Clary and Jace that I’m jealous of their view,” he said. “I’m looking for a condo nearby here, actually.” 

“So you’re here to stay then? No more living in New York?” 

Surprise registered. _How did he know that? We never talked about it, unless…_ Alec glanced over at Magnus, noticing him smirking at him knowingly. _Unless he did a Google search of his own._ Suddenly Alec felt more comfortable than he had all night. The fact that Magnus Bane had Google searched _him_ selfishly made him feel like they were on more even ground.

He could feel a smile tugging at his lips despite himself. “As much as I love New York, it’s just easier to stay in LA. More work and all that. Also Izzy is here, so…” 

“I understand. You and your sister are very close,” Magnus commented.

“We grew up with basically only each other as our support systems.”

“I don’t envy your past as a child actor. I barely managed to keep it together and I started at eighteen. You seem very… put together.”

 _Put together._ He almost laughed. _If only you knew_. But Alec wasn’t about to air his dirty laundry here… he wasn’t about to admit to his multitude of problems, despite the fact he was tempted to do just that. Something told him that Magnus of all people would understand. He seemed like he could be a good listener, amongst other things. 

Instead he just shook his head. “You do realize I’m an actor… maybe I’m just acting,” Alec said dryly, trying to lighten the mood. 

Magnus chuckled, his eyes glimmering (which really didn’t help Alec’s poor heart). “Oh I don’t know; it doesn’t seem likely.”

“You’d be surprised.”

“Everything about you is rather surprising, Alexander.” 

Alec pulled his eyes away from Magnus, looking at his feet, feeling heat creep up his neck. He fidgeted a bit with his fingers, wondering what he to do next. He knew what he _should_ do of course; he should leave now before this, whatever this was, went any further. He and Magnus could part as friendly acquaintances, which would be the best for the both of them. But Alec was beginning to realize he was inherently selfish and he didn’t _want_ to leave.

Not now.

So he stayed.

After a while, Magnus broke the silence, standing a bit closer to Alec. “You know, Alexander, I forgot to tell you that I was eagerly waiting by my phone the last few days… sadly, no one interesting took the time to call me,” the older man drawled, hinting heavily.

Alec winced as he scrambled for an appropriate excuse _other_ than the fact that he was a nervous wreck. “Right, well, about that… I was really busy reading scripts for some upcoming auditions… I really want to, I was just _busy_ ,” he repeated, awkwardly scratching at the back of his neck.

_Ok, that did not go well. At all._

But Magnus was smiling anyways, small and genuine. “You said that already. But don’t worry, I understand completely.”

“You do?”

The older man shifted closer still, his eyes now filled with something akin to sympathy. “We’ve all been where you are.” He reached across to squeeze Alec’s forearm. “But trust me when I say everything is better when you can be out in the open.”

The words clanged in Alec’s head, echoing. _Out in the open._ He felt his walls, the walls that had been slowly crumbling over the course of the night, come back up in full force. The idea Magnus was trying to tell him about was both terrifying and freeing. He felt he was being stifled under all the pressure.

“I think there’s some kind of misunderstanding here. I don't know what you’re talking about,” Alec forced out, tense under Magnus’ hand, which still sat at the crook of his elbow. 

Magnus’ eyes darkened with sorrow… but not pity. There was no pity in his gaze. He pulled his hand away, but not without another soft, reassuring squeeze. “You will. It would be too much of a shame for you to keep living a lie, Alexander.”

“I–” Alec felt the words catch in his mouth. He wasn’t even sure what he could say.

The other man shook his head. “No, you don’t have to say anything. Like I said, I understand. Just _consider_ what I’m trying to tell you.”

The way he said it was firm but still so _gentle_ that Alec couldn’t help but nod. It wouldn’t be any different from what he did every day. Consider the idea of living the way he sometimes dreamed he could. But his answer would be the same, always the same.

“Why are you doing this? Why are you trying to help me? You don’t even _know_ me,” he found himself saying, aghast. Why should Magnus care at _all_ what happened to Alec? He was just another former child actor headed to obscurity. 

“True,” Magnus admitted. “But I’d like to. And that, Alexander, makes all the difference.”

Alec felt all the fight he had left leave him. _Oh_. It couldn’t have been put simpler… and it still it felt like someone had punched him in the gut.

“I’d like that too,” he finally replied, despite the fear in his belly, the worry that this could _horribly_ wrong. 

The smile he got from Magnus though made it feel like the risks were worth it, though. “Friends, then?” the singer offered.

“Sure. Friends.” Alec nodded before he could talk himself out of it.

Impossibly, Magnus’ smile widened. “Perfect.” He moved away from Alec then. “You know what, I think I’ll head out now. I would love to stay for the second movie, but I have a rehearsal tomorrow morning that I can’t be late for.” 

Alec nodded his acceptance, secretly relieved that he would get some time to think away from Magnus’ confusing presence. “I’ll come in with you then.”

“No, no, don’t worry about it,” Magnus said. “You look like you’re enjoying the breeze and I’d hate to deprive anyone of _that_ sight.”

The younger man smiled a little at the comment. “I guess this is goodbye,” Alec, in lieu of knowing what else to do, stuck out his hand awkwardly, cheeks already hot with embarrassment. 

Magnus grinned, amused, and took his hand, pumping it once. (Alec had to try very hard not to linger, liking the feeling of Magnus’ palm against his.) “For now,” he said, starting to walk backwards to the patio door. “Oh, and Alexander?” 

“Yes?”

“Don’t leave me hanging this time. You have my number, use it. Or I might have to bother your sister into giving me yours.” Then, with one last wink, he was gone.

And Alec found he was left smiling. He should probably be more worried about it, but _fuck it_ he was giving himself a break. Clearly nothing he did against Magnus Bane’s charms was working. So he was giving it up (for now).

Magnus was a special case, though. Magnus was Magnus. Magnus was his friend now.

And Alec could make exceptions for his friends, right?

He found himself taking out his phone before he could doubt it, fingers flying over the keyboard… because yes, yes he could. 

(Even if it was probably one of the worst ideas he’d had. Yet.)

 

* * *

  

Magnus arrived home still thrumming with the excitement of the night. He felt almost giddy with it. Nothing big had really happened, not really, but at the same time tonight had opened up so many _wonderful_ possibilities. He couldn’t wait to see how those turned out. 

Walking through his front door, mind abuzz, he pulled his phone out of his pocket automatically and saw he had a text from an unknown number. He had a feeling he knew who this was from.

He slid it open.

Received 11:37  
_Don’t bother Izzy_. _Please._

Magnus couldn’t help his laughter, his chest bursting with happiness. He immediately typed out a reply.

Sent 00:04  
_Your wish is my command, Alexander ;)_  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, ShadowFeed is totally a parody of BuzzFeed :D  
> (Such creativeness...)
> 
> Also, as a little side note, chapter four is tentatively called Of Texting, House Hunting, Auditions and Realizations ;) Hopefully it will posted soon.
> 
> Anyways, hope you all liked this one! Let me know what you think! And feel free to come shout at me on tumblr (even if it's just a push to update sooner) - I'm at @radientwings :)


	4. Of Texting, House Hunting, Auditions and Realizations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec and Magnus try to convince themselves they are only friends. It doesn't go as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! Finally!
> 
> First of all, my sincerest apologies for not updating sooner. I had a busy few months where I had to do some entrance/aptitude tests for university (I'm applying again) but luckily that's all done now! Which means I'll have a lot more time for writing ;)
> 
> Secondly, you may have noticed that I added a second story to this series. It's called 'Behind The Scenes' and basically includes all the extra little tidbits I couldn't fit in this story. There's even some photoshopped stuff in there for your perusal. Would really appreciate if you all checked it out :)
> 
> Lastly, this chapter features a LOT of UST and fluff. Hope you all enjoy! (Also, do let me know if there are any obvious typos... I didn't have a beta for this one.)
> 
> Thanks my lovelies!

  **ShadowFeed’s _Warlock_ Album Release Party:**  
**Early Predictions**  
_Who’s going to be there?_

Ever since the release and subsequent success of _Warlock_ ’s first studio album, ‘ _Welcome to the Night_ ’, the world-renowned band has celebrated each following album’s release with huge, celeb-filled parties. Their last album release party saw appearances from music legends Elton John and Beyoncé to other A-list stars like Raphael Santiago. _Warlock_ ’s famous blue carpet is destined to be star-studded again this October. So, although we realize it’s early days with the release of ‘ _Sinners_ _Not Saints_ ’ still months away, we can’t help but wonder who is going to be at this year’s album release party.

First off though, let’s speculate about where it’s going to be held. Will it be held in the Beverly Hilton, like the one for their last album, ‘ _Glitter Ball’,_ was? The hotel would easily provide some of the swanky style the band is known for. Or maybe this time it will be held in drummer Catarina Loss’ newly purchased Beverly Hills mansion. The eight-million-dollar home previously belonged to none other than Kanye West and co, so we all know it must be fantastically glamorous. Both seem like pretty great options for a party of this scale, but we here at ShadowFeed are going for option three: Magnus Bane’s nightclub, Pandemonium. The club has only been open to the public for a few months and yet it attracts that kind of guests that paparazzi drool over. Appearances have been made by at least half of Hollywood’s A-listers and Pandemonium has never let any of them down. Made with the kind of high-quality elegance that Magnus Bane excels at, the music is fresh, the drinks original, and the company sublime. So really, where better to host a party than at the one and only Pandemonium?

_Click here to view ShadowFeed’s top ten nightlife locations in Los Angeles!_

Then, of course, there are the guests – arguably the most exciting part about these parties. We all know by now that _Warlock_ and its band members attract all sorts of celebs and with the capacity of Pandemonium above 400… well, we’re thinking it’s pretty safe to say that this party is going to be wild. Past guests returning is a solid gamble; so, to you Beyoncé fans out there (or should we say _everyone_?), you can rest assured that Queen B is probably going to drop by. Raphael Santiago is also a surefire bet for a second appearance, with his close friendship to Magnus Bane well documented.

But ShadowFeed is more interested in which new guests we can expect. Are we going to see Tessa Gray’s rumored beaus, Will Herondale and Jem Carstairs? Taylor Swift has been pictured with Catarina Loss recently – maybe she’s even part of the squad now. Cara Delevigne is known to be friends with front man Magnus Bane, having met when she modeled for him on the catwalk. Maybe she won’t be the only of his new acquaintances to show up. Alec and Isabelle Lightwood were pictured with Bane just last Saturday on Clary Fray’s Instagram (Jace Wayland’s girlfriend and daughter of Jocelyn Fairchild). The Lightwood siblings were even spotted in Pandemonium a few days earlier and with such intimate knowledge of the venue, surely they _have_ to be invited. 

ShadowFeed can unfortunately only speculate. It’ll be a month yet before we get access to any kind of guest list. Until then, we can only dream.

More importantly, however, what do you guys think? Who do you want to show up? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

* * *

 

Magnus spent the morning walking on cloud nine; his mood significantly better than it had been for the last few days. Tessa noticed it right away when they met for one of their final song-writing sessions, though she didn’t say anything about it. (She probably didn’t want to jinx it, he mused.) He’d been remarkably focused on the actual writing, however, despite the distraction of last night.

He just couldn’t stop thinking about it, especially now that he was done with today’s work for the band. It had just been so fulfilling after days of doubt. Sure, last night had been tension-filled, even awkward, but _god_ it had also been _fantastic_. _Alec_ was fantastic. Everything Magnus had hoped and more. It wasn’t just that he had the looks ( _which, let’s be honest, he has in abundance_ ); it was also his mind, his personality. Magnus had a weakness for beautiful things, true, but he also had a weakness for the clever, the witty. Alec was surprisingly witty when he came out of his shell; he used the kind of dry humor that probably went over the head of a lot of people, but Magnus was not one of those people.

And then there was, of course, the shyness, the uncertainty. For someone who most people assumed had everything, he seemed to rather lack confidence in the personal aspect of his life. Magnus had no doubt that Alexander did wonderfully in environments where he knew what to do, but it seemed to him that his new friend didn’t much like being thrown into new situations that he was unsure how to navigate.

Alec Lightwood. What an enigma. A handsome, intelligent, talented enigma.He was nearly perfect, flaws and all. It was simply unfortunate that they had found the boundary in their relationship last night.

 _Friends_. 

Magnus had nothing against new friends. Nothing at all. He loved meeting new people more than anything. But a large part had hoped for something _more_ with Alec. It had been a revelation to him, after so long of feeling nothing of the sort. But alas, this was one boundary he wouldn’t cross… not yet. Alec Lightwood was still in the closet and while Magnus could respect that, he wasn’t sure he could deal with the pain of that in a potential lover. He’d a couple of short relationships with men in the same situation and suffice it say they hadn’t exactly ended well.

So there would not be romantic relations of any kind with Alec. No matter how much he wanted them.

 _Friends_ , Magnus reminded himself, _we’re friends._

At least friends can encourage each other, right? Maybe Magnus could become Alec’s guide into what life could be for him. He wouldn’t push the final decision… but he could always give a little nudge, couldn’t he? 

Magnus smirked at the thought. He could be persuasive when he put his mind to it.

His phone vibrated suddenly in his pocket, distracting him from his half-formed plans. Pulling it out, he saw immediately that he had a new Instagram notification from Clary; she’d tagged him in a picture. He opened it up to find it was one that must have been taken surreptitiously last night. He really must have been distracted if he hadn’t even noticed her doing it (Tessa always joked that he had some sort of supernatural ability for finding the best angle in every picture taken of him, even in paparazzi shots). Clary was clearly behind the camera in the pic, both Jace and Isabelle looking directly at her; Jace with what Magnus assumed was supposed to be a smolder and the lovely Isabelle with a smile. He and Alec, on the other hand, were paying no attention to Clary at all, sitting cozily on the loveseat. Magnus had his eyes firmly on Alec in the photo, whilst the younger man was busily staring at the manicured hand resting easily on his knee. Magnus gleefully noticed now that there was the slightest hint of red dusting Alexander’s cheeks and that he wore a tiny smile.

 _Friends,_ he thought for the thousandth time that morning, _friends_. 

He forced himself to look away from the picture and moved his gaze to its caption instead.

 **itsclaryfray  
** Finally got @aleclightwood back for pizza night (as it should be) and this time with a special appearance by @warlockbane too ;) #squadgoals #isthathashtagtooretro #ehwhatever #itstrue #izzyagrees

Magnus typed a reply before he could think the better of it. (But really, isn’t that what friends did? Besides, Clary would appreciate it.)

 **warlockbane  
** @aleclightwood @izzylights To new friendships! Also, special thanks to the hostess for such a lovely night @itsclaryfray

He planned on putting down his phone for good after that, but then it buzzed again. The momentary excitement he felt that maybe it might be Alexander was tempered by the fact that it ended up being _Jace_. Regardless, he settled himself for some banter (it was expected of him, after all).

 **jacewaybetterthanyou  
** @warlockbane what, I don’t count?

 **warlockbane  
** @jacewaybetterthanyou …hmm, no. 

 **jacewaybetterthanyou  
** @warlockbane you’re breaking my heart here, man

Magnus snorted. _Man_. Jace really was a stereotypical ‘dudebro’ at times. If he didn’t see how well the other man treated Clary he might even be convinced that there was nothing underneath that well-groomed exterior.

He wasn’t all that bad, really. Certainly, he did wonders for his favorite redhead, especially after that fiasco with her asshole of a father. And he provided some much needed entertainment.

Mid-reply, he got another notification, though this time from the person he had been trying so hard not to think about. Magnus couldn’t stop the small flicker of excitement in his chest despite the simplicity of the replies.

 **aleclightwood  
** @warlockbane agreed :)

 **aleclightwood  
** @warlockbane @jacewaybetterthanyou I’m sure you’ll survive.

Magnus grinned, especially when he saw the rest of the thread.

 **jacewaybetterthanyou  
** @aleclightwood @warlockbane why is everyone always ganging up on me?

 **izzylights  
** @jacewaybetterthanyou @aleclightwood @warlockbane now, now boys, no fighting

 **itsclaryfray  
** @izzylights sometimes I swear we’re the only adults in the group; @jacewaybetterthanyou @aleclightwood @warlockbane you boys better listen to your mother #izzyisthesquadmom

 **jacewaybetterthanyou  
** @izzylights @itsclaryfray how about no

 **aleclightwood  
** @jacewaybetterthanyou @izzylights @itsclaryfray I think @warlockbane and I are going to make the wiser decision and listen to izzy.

Magnus chuckled and added in his two cents.

 **warlockbane  
** @aleclightwood agreed ;)

After his last comment was uploaded, he put his phone down. He shouldn’t be too obvious with his little crush. ( _God, when was the last time I had a crush?_ ) Besides, he really shouldn’t keep thinking of Alexander. It wasn’t good for his nerves, nor was it good for his resolve to be friends rather than anything resembling lovers.

And besides, maybe, just maybe, if he was patient enough, something might come of this friendship. Something a little more along the lines of what Magnus was thinking of. Patience might not be his forte, but it was about time he learned some. And, really, what better motivation was there than Alec Lightwood?

 

* * *

 

 

Alec knew he was being difficult. He was well aware of it. But, really, was it all that bad being difficult when it came to buying a house? A house was a big commitment; one might ever say it _merited_ being difficult. 

Still, he knew he was starting to get on everyone’s nerves, especially Izzy’s. His sister was practically giving him the stink eye now and he knew the only reason she wasn’t ripping into him was because the estate agent was still here. Also, at this point the poor lady looked like she was about to have a nervous meltdown.

Alec should really take it easier on her. He knew that. But it was all so _frustrating_. He only had a few days left to find the perfect home and they were getting nowhere. Maybe it was time to call it quits for the day. The agent would definitely appreciate it, as would Izzy.

At least Alec wasn’t being _all_ bad on the social front; he had kept his promise and used the number Magnus had given him. They’d been texting on and off the past couple of weeks, mostly just random tidbits about their day that the other might find interesting. It was surprisingly easy to talk to the singer, sometimes he even found himself tempted to call him rather than text. Something told him that hearing Magnus’ voice, hearing his laugh, might be a little too much for him to handle, however. Texting was safe; it was what casual friends did. Hell, he had a bunch group texts from his previous projects and he didn’t even know half the people on them all that well. He could text Magnus. Plus, it felt nice to be noticed by someone like him, to wakeup in the morning with a couple of unread messages from the other man.

The selfish part of Alec couldn’t help but be happy that Magnus seemed to think of him as much as he thought of Magnus. (Which was, admittedly, a worrying amount.) 

Their conversations, though often trivial, were an entertaining part of his long days of house hunting and other logistical nonsense. (Really, he had expected these first few weeks back in LA to be a kind of _holiday_ … sadly, it wasn’t working out that way.)

His favorite conversation had happened just yesterday, when he’d accidently received what was clearly an old childhood picture of Magnus that had been intended for his band mates. The picture itself was nothing too bad, the kind of image that only the person it was of would find embarrassing, but it also clearly had quite the story behind it; after all, young Magnus had been covered head to toe in glitter. Alec found it surprisingly charming (it was certainly a lot more free-spirited than anything from his childhood) and the conversation that followed had made a frustrating day a lot better. Magnus seemed to have that effect on him, even when he drove him to all sorts of awkwardness.

Received 11:54  
_I’m glad you agree we’re friends, Alexander, otherwise that would have been embarrassing_

Sent 11:59  
_I can’t believe you’d ever be embarrassed_

Received 11:59  
_You’d be surprised_

Received 12:00  
_I haven’t always been this perfect ;)_

Sent 12:01  
_Well then enlighten me_

Received 12:01  
_Only for you, darling. But you have to promise not to hold it against me_  

Sent 12:05  
_I promise._

What had followed was probably one of the funniest things he’d ever heard ( _read?_ ) and something he’d definitely never repeat to another living soul. He doubted he could it justice anyways, but it was safe to say that young Magnus wasn’t quite as astute as the Magnus of today.

Unfortunately, there weren’t any funny stories waiting on his phone to entertain him today. All he was left with was his desperate search for a house. He wanted to secure a place (or at least start to) before his meeting with his mother a couple of days from now; it didn’t seem like a good idea to be distracted in the middle of all the auditions she was sure to have ready for him. 

He wasn’t really getting anywhere, though. None of the houses he’d seen with Izzy seemed like a home for _him_. They were nice places, sure, but not what he was looking for. He wanted privacy, but he also didn’t need all the opulence most homes in Beverly Hills seemed geared to.

It was driving him up the wall and, in turn, he was driving Izzy up the wall.

“You’re never going to find something you like if you don’t give any of these a chance, you know,” she finally said to him after the last house of the day. They were back at her place now, both sitting slumped on one of the couches in her living room, absolutely exhausted. She had that look of fond exasperation on that she always seemed to wear when any of her brothers (Jace included) did something particularly idiotic.

Alec sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “Yeah. I just… I don’t know, none of these seem to _fit_.”

“You’ve said that. Several times.”

“I _know_. I can’t explain it any better. I guess I’m just picky.”

“Well, I could have told you that.”

“Thanks. _Really_.”

Izzy grinned. “No problem, big brother.” 

Alec just shook his head and decided to ignore it before they started full on bickering. He picked up his phone, intent on scrolling through some more house listings; there had to be _something_ out there for him.

“Well then, how about this; just stay with me,” Izzy suggested at his side, plucking his phone from his hands and setting it aside.

Alec leveled a look at her, his brow furrowing. “I’m already staying with you, Izzy.”

She rolled her eyes, elbowing him. “I know that. I mean you can actually _live_ with me for a while. It’ll be like old times… Except for no parents watching our every move. We can take your stuff out of storage and everything. My house is big enough and that way you don’t have to stress about getting the perfect place in such a short time. You were right about one thing; this definitely isn’t the sort of thing you should rush… And who knows, with all your auditions coming up, you’ll probably be on another set soon anyways.” 

It was the perfect solution really. But he didn’t just want to take advantage of his sister’s generosity; too many people had already done that. “Izzy, are you sure?” 

“Of course I am! It’s been nice having you around. It’s always so… quiet at home,” she said, gesturing at the otherwise empty halls of her house.

“Right, because I’m so _loud_ all the time,” Alec replied dryly.

She rolled her eyes again. “You know what I mean. I’m usually alone in the house. Clary and Jace have their own place, Meliorn prefers his own bed, and Max… Mom won’t let me bring Max here.”

Alec tried to hide his frown; the fact that their mother didn’t trust Izzy with Max stung her… and him as well, if he was being honest. His sister was more than capable of watching over their little brother; she’d probably do it better than Alec himself. But no matter how he tried to convince her, Maryse Lightwood remained adamant that if Isabelle wanted to see Max, she had to come to them.

_It’s ridiculous._

Alec chanced a glance at Izzy and saw all that she tried to conceal from him. She was _lonely_. Without their friends around and with Meliorn being a less than ideal partner, Izzy spent a lot of time alone, especially now that she was taking a small but well deserved break from acting.

It _would_ be nice to have a home base without all the stress of actually creating one himself. A good kind of in-between until he found something he fell in love with. He could keep looking for that apparently mythical place at his leisure if he stayed here.

He soon found himself nodding. “Ok, fine. But I want some ground rules.”

“Yes!” Izzy exclaimed excitedly before turning a disapproving frown on him. “Wait, ground rules? In _my_ house?”

“First, I’m going to help with everything,” Alec elaborated. “That includes paying my way.” 

“Alec, I’m not going to make you pay rent. I own the house and you’re my _brother_.”

“Fine, then I’ll help with utilities.”

She considered it for a moment. “Fair enough.” 

“Second, please tell me if you’re going to have someone over. I mean you don’t have to, it _is_ your place, but I really don’t want another situation like last summer, ok?” _I will never be able to erase that image from my head._

“Oh poor baby Alec, did I scar your precious little head?” she laughed.

“Ugh, Izzy, please. No one wants to _see_ their little sister in that position. _No one_.”

“Fine, fine. It’s not like anything’s going to happen here anyways… But the same rule applies to you,” Izzy said with suggestive wink.

Alec outright snorted at that. “ _Right_. And third, I do all of the cooking.”

Isabelle’s eyes narrowed minutely. “My cooking isn’t _that_ bad… but, _fine_ if that’s what it takes.” 

“Good, then it’s a deal.” Alec even went so far as to stick out his hand, reminded of all the times that – as children – they had struck an accord with an ‘official’ handshake. (It was something they’d taken to doing when they’d seen their parents conclude their meetings that way.)

Izzy humored him with a quiet huff of amusement. She leaned her head against his shoulder, keeping his hand in hers for a moment. “You know what, big brother, you’re ridiculous… but I’m glad you’re staying.”

“Yeah, me too,” he replied. “Hey, Iz?” 

“Hm?”

“Thank you.”

She patted his arm once. “You’re welcome.”

 

* * *

 

The tall glass building that served as his parents’ offices was supposed to be some kind of modern marvel… to Alec, it just seemed like an oppressive and ugly excuse to display their superiority. But then, he supposed that was the Lightwood way. 

Alec was just happy he’d escaped having to work _here_ everyday. Besides the building itself, his parents could be rather overbearing – his mother in particular. But Maryse Lightwood was also arguably the best agent in all of Hollywood, with so many tricks up her sleeve that most studio executives knew better than giving her reason to use them.

Walking through the doors of _Lightwood Entertainment Agency_ , he only had to nod at the security guard to be let past; everyone here knew who he was. Besides being an actor and client, he was also the bosses’ (yes, _plural_ ) son, which gave him extra clout here. Alec hated all the pomp and circumstance that came with being a Lightwood, but he couldn’t say he didn’t like this little part; anything that allowed him to get out of this place faster was alright by him.

He took the elevator to the top floor, barely having to think as he made his way past his mother’s secretary and into her office.

Maryse didn’t look up as he walked in, taking her time on whatever contract she was viewing, marking things down with a fountain pen. She seemed utterly at ease in this chrome and glass room, with every surface and inch polished to a shine. Frankly, it gave Alec a headache just standing here. The only redeeming quality of this office, in his opinion, was the vast view of Los Angeles the floor-to-ceiling-windows behind his mother’s desk gave him. Nothing could quite top it.

Finally, with one last flourish of her pen, she looked up. “Alec, there you are! You’re _late_ ,” she admonished in that strong, commanding way of hers as she stood up to greet him. She gave him an airy peck on the cheek before holding him at arms length for a moment, smiling at him. “I’m happy to have you back. It’s been too long.”

“Agreed, Mother,” Alec replied.

He decided to leave out the fact that everyone else knew he’d come back weeks ago… and he also made sure not to mention that she was the only one of his close family who hadn’t made it to New York to see him perform. His mother was a good woman, a successful woman; it certainly wasn’t his place to tell her how to parent him or his siblings. No matter how tempting it might be. Maryse Lightwood deserved his respect.

They made small talk for a short while until Maryse paused and turned up her nose. “Now, where _is_ that sister of yours?”

“She’s coming in a bit. She had an audition this morning.” _Which you_ should _know, seeing as you’re her agent_ and _her mother._  

“Ah, yes _that_. I told her it wasn’t a role that would be suitable for her but you know Isabelle. She never listens to me.”

Alec sighed, frowning. He knew the main reason she disapproved was because the character Izzy was going for was a prostitute, but honestly Alec didn’t see the problem. Prostitutes were people as much as anyone else and besides, the character and the script were really promising. “The role is different than anything she’s done, sure, but I read lines with her yesterday and she was _good_. It would be a mistake if they didn’t cast her for it.”

Maryse huffed disbelievingly, already returning to her desk. “We’ll see. Now come along. There’s much to discuss.”

He did as he was told, coming to sit in front of her. The chair was (predictably) really uncomfortable but he didn’t make mention of it. Instead he tried to settle in as best as he could; he already knew this was going to be a _long_ meeting… especially after his mother dropped an exceedingly thick binder in his lap.

“So, I’ve taken the liberty of arranging a week’s worth of auditions for you,” his mother started. “You’ll find all the necessary preparation materials in the folder. Now, let’s go through all of them, shall we? Starting with this one…” 

 

* * *

 

 

The very next week found Alec driving from studio to studio, spending all his energy on the auditions Maryse had set up for him. It wasn’t quite as many as he had originally thought (thank god) but there were still more than usual, which required a lot of prep time. To say he was exhausting himself was putting it lightly. Izzy would probably have told him to take it easy if she hadn’t been so busy herself. After the audition for the role she’d picked herself, their mother had decided to put Izzy through the ringer as well, sending her off to do just as many auditions as Alec. It would bother his sister more, Alec knew, if she hadn’t already been offered the role she’d wanted. After she’d nailed the lines she’d been given, the casting director had hired her on the spot. Alec was entirely unsurprised by this; he’d known right away that this character, prostitute or not, was meant for her. 

Sadly, that still meant that both of them were run to the ground with their obligations, Alec with his auditions and Izzy with hers, as well as contract negotiations for her new movie.

Auditions were always a tedious business, to say the very least, but they were especially bad when they were going as horribly as they were for Alec. He just couldn’t get into any of these stories. All the characters were more caricatures than anything else… he had no interest in playing such _plastic_ roles. But he still went to them, ever the dutiful son. He was just hoping that as soon as his mother saw that he was done with these, she might find him something better. He really wasn’t sure what to think of her sudden lack of imagination.

It was after yet another one of these _disastrous_ auditions that he – quite literally – ran into his favorite singer. He’d been making his way out of the studio, trying not to look like he was ready to explode with anger when he’d crashed into another body. (Seriously, how did these things keep happening back to him? Life wasn’t supposed to be a movie.) They both flailed, hands catching at each other.

Pulling back and getting ready to apologize, he was shocked to find Magnus staring back at him with no small amount of amusement. 

“Magnus!” Alec exclaimed, his voice totally _not_ climbing up into an embarrassing squeak. He found his eyes running over the other man before he could stop himself. He’d never seen Magnus look so _normal_. That’s not to say he didn’t look better than pretty much everyone else in the immediate vicinity (because he _definitely_ did) but gone was all the glitter and glamour that Alec had come to associate with Magnus. Oh, he still wore the customary eyeliner and had on a shirt that was probably more expensive than Alec’s entire wardrobe, but apart from that Magnus was clearly in casual wear… and Alec found he really liked it. It made the singer seem _softer_ somehow. But then Alec seemed to like everything about Magnus.

Magnus was grinning at Alec now, clearly having caught the younger man’s very unsubtle look. But he didn’t comment on it, instead he squeezed Alec’s elbows once before letting go. “I’m glad I found the right place, Alexander.” 

Alec’s thoughts screeched to a stop. “Wait, you’re here for _me_?”

“Well, actually, I had a meeting with my agent Luke nearby when I got your text. You seemed rather _down_ , so I thought I’d pop by. I may or may not have asked your darling sister where you would be.”

Alec blinked at that; he had sent the text outside of the audition room, needing to vent about the ridiculousness of it all, but he hadn’t expected anything to come of it. He certainly hadn’t thought Magnus would want to talk to him face-to-face. He couldn’t help but appreciate the sentiment though. With Izzy so busy and Jace and Clary out of town, he could really use a friend.

 _Especially if it’s Magnus,_ came the unbidden thought.

“But let’s not worry so much about _how_ I got here, shall we?” Magnus continued, oblivious to Alec’s inner monologue. “You look like you could use a little TLC. Coffee?”

“Um–”

“Unless, you don’t want to. I don’t want to push. If you’d rather be alone, that’s fine too. I can go.”

“No, no!” Alec exclaimed, just a little too loud. He winced, hand scratching at the back of his neck awkwardly. “Um, I wouldn’t mind getting some coffee,” he finally managed to say at a _slightly_ more normal volume.

Magnus smiled again, wide and genuine. “Excellent. I know just the place.”

A mere ten minutes later, they were seated at a table in a coffee shop around the corner. It was clearly a family run place, small and well loved. It was also blessedly quiet inside, away from all the general hubbub of Hollywood’s more popular areas; exactly the kind of place that Alec liked.

He took a long sip of the coffee he ordered, reveling in its rich taste. It also gave him something to do while he collected his thoughts. He wasn’t quite sure what to do now, with Magnus sitting across from him. Yeah, they’d texted a lot (a lot more than Alec had been texting anyone lately, actually) but they’d still only really met two times and really talked just the _once_. 

So, where did he even start? Alec had never been any good at general pleasantries. Should he make small talk? Or should he just let everything he’d been keeping bottled up this past week out? 

No, he couldn’t do _that_. He’d seem like an asshole. Which, to be fair, a lot people actually thought he _was_ , but he didn’t want _Magnus_ thinking about him like that.

Thankfully, the singer saved him from making any decision. “Now, what’s on your mind? You look even grumpier than usual,” he said, though not unkindly.

“I’m not _that_ grumpy,” Alec grumped automatically. He sighed internally. _Well done. Really._

But Magnus just laughed. “Alexander, you could give _grumpy cat_ a run for his money… not that I’m complaining. Your scowl is more charming than some people’s smiles. And I’ve got a thing for the dark and broody types.”

He found himself smiling at that and had to look back down at his coffee. Alec attempted to calm the excitement in his belly. _Friends_. _Magnus is a friend_. _Friends give each other compliments. Don’t look too much into it. Remember, this… this friendship is what you want. It’s all you want._

“Actually, you know what? I think I prefer you smiling,” Magnus said after a moment, voice suddenly soft.

Alec focused more intensely on his coffee, trying to get his twitching lips under control. (Seriously, he was an actor; it should be _easy_.) Still, he couldn’t stop his stubborn grin. “Well, according to everyone I know it doesn’t happen often, so I would relish the moment,” he finally said, hugely grateful that he at least _sounded_ normal.

“Oh, trust me, I am. So, I’ll ask again, what’s got you _not_ smiling then?”

“It’s just all these auditions, really. They’re dragging me through the ringer.”

Magnus made a sympathetic sound, taking a long drink from his own coffee (a cinnamon latte, Alec had noticed). “How come?”

He tried to explain the disconnect he’d been experiencing. “None of these scripts _feel_ like me. Normally my mother gets at least one right, but It’s like she’s deliberately giving me roles that are uninteresting, like she’s trying to fit me into a box…” _A box that I don’t want anymore._

 _She’s always done that though_ , he realized. _I dealt with it before. Why can’t I now?_

He didn’t want to admit that what was important to him was changing. He didn’t want to admit that _he_ was changing. Maybe it was the six months spent alone in New York. Maybe it was Izzy’s constant needling. Maybe it was this budding friendship with someone like Magnus. 

“I’m sorry, Alexander. Family can be difficult.” 

“Yeah…” 

For the first time since he’d known him, Magnus seemed hesitant, pulling his eyes away from Alec. “Can I ask… why do you stay on as your mother’s client if you’re unhappy?” 

Alec shrugged, not sure how to answer that. He didn’t always know himself. “Well, she’s my mother… Did you know that she and my father were grooming me for their business? They wanted me to take over eventually. They never expected me to become one of their clients, but they accepted it anyways… I guess they saw it as a good business opportunity. I just think the least I could do is not make them regret their decision or their faith in me.”

“I suppose. But you should also be free to make your own creative choices,” Magnus said, in a way that made it seem he meant more than just about acting. “Just… food for thought.”

“Yeah… What about you? I hope I’m not the only one who needed this coffee?” Alec asked, suddenly not wanting to get too much into his familial drama.

“Alas, my problems lie more with the fact that I’ve been blocked the last few days. Tessa and I have been trying in vain to write the last song for our album but it just hasn’t been happening.” 

“I thought you were done?” He’d received a text a while ago saying just that. 

“Me too,” Magnus replied with a dramatic sigh. “But a few days ago I just felt the need to add another song; the album felt incomplete. I just haven’t been able to write the final, missing piece.” 

Alec didn’t think he was all that good at encouraging people but he decided to channel Izzy as best he could and give it a go. “I don’t know much about writing or even music, but I’m sure you’ll get there. All of your music has been spectacular so far. And you’re Magnus Bane, everyone knows you can do whatever you set your mind to.”

Magnus’s lips pulled up into a Cheshire cat grin. “Well, well, Alexander, I didn’t know you were fan.”

“I wasn’t, really. Until recently,” Alec admitted, a rush of heat creeping up his cheeks. 

“I hope your recent musical education was worth it? I would have thought that some of our older stuff wasn’t exactly to your tastes,” the singer replied, raising his eyebrow challengingly.

Alec found himself leaning in closer. “I guess you don’t know everything about my tastes.”

Magnus gave him a long, assessing look. “I think I know enough.” 

Suddenly, Alec realized just how close they were, their faces mere inches apart. He suppressed the immediate urge to jump back as if he’d done something wrong and pulled away slowly instead. It was definitely _not_ within the boundaries of friendship for him to get lost in Magnus’ eyes. What was he _doing_?

_C’mon. Get it together. We’re friends. That’s all you need. That’s all you want._

_Right?_

Alec cleared his throat. “Um... So, apart from this song you’re stuck on, how’s the rest? Last you told me, you were organizing tour dates.”

Magnus took Alec’s sudden reticence in stride, leaning casually back in his chair. He chatted easily with Alec, much to the younger man’s relief. Neither of them brought up the tension between them, also to Alec’s relief. 

_Then why do I feel so disappointed?_

_Why do I feel like this isn’t enough?_

_Magnus is doing everything right. He’s being a friend. A friend I thought I wanted… I can’t have more than that. I can’t. I can’t._

_But it isn’t enough. Not anymore._

Finally, Alec couldn’t take the uncomfortable feeling of panic in his stomach anymore. He stood abruptly. Magnus blinked at him in surprise.

 “I-I’m sorry, I just realized I have… a thing. I have to go.”

And then he did just that. He turned and left, not even giving Magnus a chance to say goodbye. Alec was sure he’d never get that look of hurt out of his head… a look _he_ had put on Magnus’ face.

_You. Are. An. Idiot._

But it was too late to turn back now. So Alec kept walking.

 

* * *

 

Two days later, Alec and Isabelle were both finally free of the hell that was auditions. It was also the first day they had a chance to do the household chores; something that Isabelle generally loathed but knew had to be done. At least she had Alec to take on some of the load now as well. He was one of those rare people who _liked_ cleaning. Honestly, he was a bit of a freak, her brother, but mostly in a good way. And Izzy wouldn’t have him any other way, either.

When that was finally done, they drove to the storage place where all of Alec’s other stuff still was. Maybe getting him moved in properly would get him out of his current funk. Alec had been suspiciously quiet and broody all day (more so than usual) and Izzy was getting tired of it. Still, she kept her silence for once; it probably had something to do with their mother and she really didn’t need to open that can of worms right now.

So Isabelle was quite happy helping Alec with the heavy lifting. Carrying boxes all day might now be her idea of fun but the work kept her mind too busy from thinking of other things… like her mom or Meliorn’s sudden silence. (He hadn’t contacted her in two weeks, which was unusual.)

Just as she put yet another box in the car, her phone pinged. Glancing down at it, she saw Magnus’ name pop up on the screen. She slid her thumb across to open the text. 

Received 14:22  
_Isabelle, darling, what’s your address?_  

She texted it back right. She got the feeling that he wasn’t asking for _her_ anyways and Magnus might just be the right person to cheer Alec up. Smiling, she found herself sending another text.

 

Sent 14:23 _  
Do I want to know why you need it?_

Received 14:23  
_You’ll see ;)_

 _This can only mean one thing_ , Isabelle thought cheerfully. It was about damn time her brother got some of the kind of attention he clearly craved. She could only hope he accepted it, though. _Magnus Bane, you have quite the challenge ahead of you._ With that in mind, she typed out her reply.

Sent 14:25  
_Just remember, my brother’s more a cologne man._

Received 14:25  
_I’ll keep that in mind._

 

* * *

 

 

Alec was a consummate early riser, even when he didn’t want to be. There was literally nothing he wanted more right now than to lay down and sleep for the next century (…a century should be enough for him to forget his failure as a person, right?). Sadly, his body’s internal clock was both a blessing and a curse, so he woke up at seven on the dot as always. He tried in vain to get back to sleep but his mind was far too occupied with thoughts of a certain singer, leaving him annoyingly restless. 

In the end, Alec had to admit defeat and he forced himself out of bed. Coffee might be enough to get his spirits up and his thoughts away from the fiasco that was his life.

Why couldn’t he just be _normal_? Or at least act like it? Why did he always become such a fool around Magnus?

And here they were becoming good friends too, before he had to go and _ruin_ everything by dumping all his shit on the other man… and then running away with his tail between his legs.

 _Stellar job there, Alec. Really_. (Also, why on earth did his inner voice _always_ have to sound like Izzy?)

 _Coffee_. _Focus on the coffee._

He did just that, allowing the smell of its brew to calm his racing mind. (He definitely did not allow it to remind him of the coffee he had with Magnus that disastrous afternoon.) Alec also cracked out a pancake mix while he was at it – might as well make his pity meal official. And he was sure he would be able to lure Izzy out of bed early if he made her breakfast. He could really use her chatter to distract him.

Alec was in the middle of flipping a particularly gorgeous blueberry pancake when the shrill ring of the doorbell surprised him. He slid his masterpiece onto a plate before answering it.

He was doubly surprised (and confused) to see a yawning courier in front of him, holding a rather large box.

“Are you Alexander Lightwood?” the kid asked, peering at him with bleary eyes. 

“Uh, yeah,” Alec mumbled. The package was for him? But he hadn’t ordered anything and barely anybody knew he was even _here_. 

Still, he grabbed at the box when the kid handed it over.

“Sign here.”

Alec managed to fumble his signature one-handedly, barely finishing it before the kid snatched back the pen. The boy left without another word, dashing down the driveway to his van.

Alec huffed. _Looks like not everyone is a morning person._

He didn’t think much more about it though, much more interested in the box he was holding. Setting it down when he got back to the kitchen, a purple envelope with his first name scrawled beautifully over it immediately caught his eye. He slipped out a folded note from inside it, his heart stalling in his chest when he realized whom it was from. His eyes scanned quickly over the flowing script.

 _Alexander,_

_I hope you don’t mind but I took the liberty of speaking to my agent. You might find these interesting…_

_The other gift was your sister’s idea._

_Enjoy, darling._

_Yours,_

_Magnus_

Almost numb with shock (and _yes_ , maybe a little pleasure as well), Alec scrambled to open the box. The contents made him smile so wide his cheeks hurt.

They were _scripts_. Five of them.

Alec flipped through them carefully, reading the summaries. These were _perfect_ , exactly the type of story he’d like to be a part of. He could already tell they had the depth he’d been looking for and weren’t just another recycling of popular tropes.

Alec wasn’t quite sure how to describe what he felt. Happiness yes, but also a profound sense of appreciation. Here was a man who’d known Alec for _maybe_ a month and still he was willing to go _so_ far for him. Magnus had enquired about other scripts when Alec himself hadn’t had the courage to do so… and after he’d been so incredibly rude too.

Only one other thought rang through his brain. _I don’t deserve all this_.

And, really, he _didn’t_. He’d done nothing for Magnus in this short friendship of theirs. He’d even _hurt_ him. Meanwhile, the other man had been nothing but understanding and generous.

He didn’t deserve this.

But he decided to ignore that depressing truth for now and simply bask in his happiness. He wasn’t going to let his doubts ruin this moment for him. Not right now.

With that decision, he remembered that there was apparently a second part to this gift. He peered back in the box, pulling back some purple tissue paper to find a second, smaller box.

Alec picked it up.

And immediately laughed.

It was cologne, ironically called _Superstar_ … but _someone_ had crossed it out with a sharpie and written _Grumpy Cat_ over it instead.

Alec laughed and laughed and laughed like he hadn’t in a long time, until Izzy walked in looking incredibly confused. He would have tried to explain but he was too out of breath.

At this rate, he was never going to get over his infatuation with Magnus Bane – and it was an _infatuation_ , he couldn’t deny that anymore.

But, more importantly, he wasn’t sure he wanted to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There ends the fluff... for now. The goal is to post again in the next two weeks.
> 
> Also, the childhood story that Magnus told Alec will soon be featured in Behind The Scenes ;)
> 
> Let me know what you think! Also feel free to come shout at me on tumblr - I'm radientwings there too! (Btw, the season two trailer is up - GO WATCH! It looks EPIC!)


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